7 


LIBRARY 

AT 

PRI]«€ETO]V,  ]¥.  J. 

DO\ATIO\    tiF 

S  A  M  U  K  L    A  G  N  K  W  , 

-O      -  i.  K     H  H  1  1.  i  U  K  L  H  H  I  A  .    P  A 

Letter 


No. 


'  ^C  ^..fi^.  J.^.J^^^'^, 


ok 


fj  CafiCf     Divfsionj: 

I'  Shelf,    Sect\<i_n_ ,| 


^^_  _^ J\!-c 


LETTERS 


T  O 


A    YOUNG  CLERGYMAN, 


FROM     THE    LATE 


Reverend  Mk.JOB  ORTON. 


**  He  was  of  a  difpofttion  ready  to  embrace  and  oblige  all  me!i ; 
aflowing  others  to  differ  from  him,  even  in  opinions  that  were  very 
^dear  to  him  5  and  provided  men  did  but/ear  God  and  luork  right eoujneji^ 
he  loved  them  heartily,  how  diftant  foever  from  him  in  judgment 
about  things  lefs  neceffary  :  in  all  which  he  is  very  worthy  to  be  a 

pattern  to  men  of  all  perfuafions  whatfoever." See  Archhijho-p 

TiLLOTSON'i  Funeral  Sermon  for  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Gouce,  'wh" 
nvas  a  Noncortfirmiji. 


Printed  by  MANNING  tif  LORING, 
For  JAMES    WHITE,  at  Frahklim'$  He^©, 


Court-Street* 


MPCCXCXY. 


TO    THE    REVEREND 

JAMES  STONHOUSE,  m.  d. 

RECTOR  OF  GREAT  AND  LITTLE  CHEW EKEhL,  IFILTSHIRE, 
REVEREND  AND  DEAR  SIR, 


I 


T  is  with  great  pleafure  I  take  this 
opportunity,  of  paying  a  tribute  oi public  refpedb 
to  you.  It  is  now  near  twenty  years  fince  our 
friendiliip  firft  began  ;  which  has  been  a  delight- 
ful fource  of  j^Ieafure  and  Improvement  to  nie. 
Mr.  Or  TON  brought  us  together  at  firfl,  foon 
after  I  began  my  clcdjai  caree'-,  and  from  the 
kind  offices  of  you  both,  it  received  an  happy  di- 
re(5lion  ;  both  having  adviied,  counfeiled,  cau- 
tioned, and  encouraged  rne.*  In  your  pariih. 
Sir,  I  fpent  fome  or  my  happiefl  and  mod  ufefui 
days  ;  in  a  fituation  favourable  to  ftudy  and  felf- 
improvement,  among  an  affeftionate,  and,  in 
general,  a  tra6:able,  people.  The  fcene  has  fince 
been  confiderably  changed  :  but  the  refpecTi  and 
good  will,  which  I  found  among  your  farmers 
and  cottagers,  no  length  of  time  will  be  able  ever 
to  efface  from  my  memory. 

The  greateft  part  of  the  Letters,  contained  in 
this  little  volume,  were  written  by  Mr.  Orton 
to  me  whilft  I  refided  at  Cheverel ;  which  I 
found  of  confiderable  itfe  to  me  there,  and  to  the 
pariflies  to  which  I  afterwards  removed.  I  had 
fele6led  moft  of  them  from  a  large  number,  with 

which 

*  Witnefs  thefe  Letters,  and  your  Hints  to  a  Curate, 


which  he  had  favoured  me,  to  be  a  kind  of  Me- 
morial*' of  their  honoured  writer,  and  as  a  Man- 
uM  for  my  future  ufe,  ^Vhen  I  flievved  them  to 
yon,  you  were  pleafed  to  fpeak  of  them  as  Let- 
ters you  much  efteemed  ;  and  when  I  expreffed 
an  inchnation  of  publiihing  them  for  the  fervice 
of  my  younger  Brethren  in  the  Miniftry,  the  de- 
fign  met  with  your  approbation  and  encourage- 
ment. Mr.  Or  TON  hath  already  appeared  in 
the  world  under  the  refpeiSlable  charadlers  of  a 
commentator,  a  fermon- writer,  and  a  biogra- 
pher \  and  if  I  introduce  him  in  a  new  light, 
as  that  of  a  correfpondent,  I  hope,  I  fliall  not 
leffen  his  merit ;  the  general  contents  of  the  fol- 
lowing Letters  being  on  fubjeds  of  confiderable 
importance  :  the  advice  given  in  them,  with 
refpe'fi  to  the  Pafloral  Care,  having  been  found 
prafticable,  (efpecially  in  country  pariJJies  ;)  and 
which  was  the  refult  of  his  own  experience  and 
obfervation. 

To  you.  Sir,  I  am  inclined,  from  various  mo- 
tives, to  INSCRIBE  thefe  Letters  of  our  common 
friend,  v;hich  ypw  will  be  pleafed  to  confider  as  a 
teftimony  of  my  fincere  refpe£t  for  you. 

I  am,  Reverend  and  dear  Sir,  your  obliged 
and  moft  humble  Servant, 

THOMAS  STEDMAN. 

Bhsevsex-ky,  April,  1791. 

*  "For  that  -pattern  which  I  faw  in  him,  and  for  that  cnnverjation 
which  I  had  with  him,  I  know  how  much  I  have  to  anjiver  for  To  God. 
And  though  my  reflecfling  on  that  which  I  knew  in  him,  gives  me 
juft  caufe  of  being  deeply  kumhkd  in  myfelf,  and  before  God ;  yet  I  feel 
no  more  fenfible  pleafure  in  any  thing,  than  in  going  over  in  my 
thoughts  all  that  I  faw  and  obferved  in  him." — Bifnop  Bur  net  concern' 
ing  Archhijhop  Lejchton. — Yafiaral  Care^  page  zzi.     Fifth  edition^ 


ExtraB  of  a  Letter  from  a  Clergyman  of  the  Church 
of  England, 

Feb.  3,  1791. 

-"  I  highly  approve  your  defign,  refped- 

ing  the  pubhcation  of  Mr.  Orton's  Letters, 
The  more  I  fee  of  them,  the  more  I  fee  the  util- 
ity of  fuch  an  undertaking.  I  confidered  the 
writer  as  one  of  tlie  bell  men  hving — -judicious, 
pious,  benevolent,  and  piercingly  fenfible  ;  a 
mod  inftrudive  minifter,  and  a  rnoffc  valuable 
and  faithful  friend.  I  had  a  particular  intimacy 
with  him  for  at  leaft  forty  years.  By  fuch  a  pub- 
lication as  )^ou  intend,  he  will,  "  being  dead,  yet 
fpeak/'  and  fpeak  inftrudtively." 


Extract-  of  a  Letter  from  one  of  the  Laity. 
-**  I  am  very  glad  you  have  thoughts  of 


pnnting  a  number  of  Mr.  Or  ton's  Letters^  and 
fliall  rejoice,  if  my  earneft  v/ifh  may  determine 
you  to  do  it.  That  they  will  be  highly  ufeful 
and  infbrudive  cannot  be  doubted.  He  excell- 
ed in.  the  eafy  epiiliolary  manner  of  writing,  as 
much  as  in  other  kinds  of  compofition.  1  am 
certain,  they  will  be  a  valuable  prefent  to  the 
public,  and  (lievv  fo  excellent  and  good  a  man 
to  much  advantage  ;  and  will  be  likely  to  carry 
on  thofe  ufeful  defigns,  which  he  had  fo  much 
at  heart/' 


A  2 


piinll.IUIIIIIIIIII.llH 


LETTER     S*?'y"Vif^,if.>.*. 

TO         ^  PsiaesTo; 


A    YOUNG    CLERCy 


OSIC 


LETTER 


Dear  Sir, 


OSfober  ^,  i"]*]!. 


I  *  fake,  and  alfo  for  your  own,  that  you 

I  *  intend  accepting  the  Curacy  of  Little 

The  Dodor  is  a  genteel, 


ttXVoX  AM  very  glad  for  Dr.SroNHOusE's 

;A.  4^  ^  4^  ^  ^  _ 

good  tempered  man  ;  truly  ferious, 
rationally  evangelical,  and  judicioufly  zealous. 
He  will  treat  you  like  a  Friend  and  a  Brother, 
and  you  will  be  much  pleafed  and  improved  by 
his  company  and  converfation.  He  preaches, 
during  his  refidence,  twice  every  Sunday,  and  has 
a  Ledlure  on  Wednefday  evening.  But  /'//  health 
obliges  him  to  hve  the  greater  part  of  the  year  at 
Brijlol^  for  the  benefit  of  the  Waters  there.  I 
could  fay  more  of  his  parifli  every  \yay,  than  the 

Doftor 

^  Near  Devizes^  in  IViltfiiH^ 


8  Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.        Let.  2. 

Do6bor  choofes  to  write  to  you  of  it  bimfelf,  be- 
eaufe  he  would  not  raife  too  high  expedations.  I 
am  pleafed  with  the  lift  of  books  you  intend  taking 
with  you,  but  you  will  allow  me  to  add,  that  I 
hope  you  will  take  fome  of  3'our  Claffics,  in  order 
to  keep  up  and  improve  your  knowledge  of  the 
languages ;  efpecially  fuch  as  may  increafe  your 
critical  acquaintance  with  the  New  Teftament.. 
I  am  your  alTedionate  and  faithful  fervant. 

Job  Or  ton. 


LETTER        IL 

Dec,  4 
Rev.  and  dear  Sir, 


77 


1  COMPLY  with  your  requeft  in 
writing  to  you,  though  I  have  nothing  to  fay 
very  deferving  of  your  notice.  But  I  am  deter- 
mined there  fhall  be  no  defed  in  my  friendly  re- 
gards for  you,  how  many  foever  there  may  be  in 
the  manner  of  expreffing  them.. 

I  was  glad  to  hear  of  your  fafe  arrival  at  Che- 
verel ;  though  it  was  a  mortification  to  me  not 
to  fee  you  in  your  way  thither.  You  retire  to  a. 
COUNTRY  VILLAGE  Under  fome  difadvantages, 
arifing  from  the  feafon  of  the  year,  and  the  agree- 
able fituation  you  have  left.*  But  you  have 
good  reafon  to  believe  that  you  are  in  the  way 
of  duty,  following  your  great  Mafter's  diredions, 
and  doing  his  work  in  that  flation  which  he 

-^hath 
*  Bridgnorth  in  the  county  of  .ya/o/.—^w/cf  eji  natale  foluifi^ 


Let.  2*       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,  ^ 

hath  appointed  for  you  ;  and  I  have  a  cheerful 
perfuafion,  that  you  will  be  made  very  ufeful  in 
it.  To  fee  this,  will  add.  charms  to  folitude, 
and  pleafure  to  (ludy  and  preaching  ;  and  abun- 
dantly make  up  what  otherwife  you  would  great- 
ly regret  the  lofs  of.  Every  perfon  to  whom 
)^our  labours  prove  beneficial,  will  be  a  faithful 
friend  to  you,  and  love  and  honour  you  as  a  fpir- 
itual  father..  Though  your  diftance  from  your 
good  Mother*  is  a  painful  circumftance,  yet, 
as  flie  has  other  dutiful  children  with  her,  this 
will  alleviate  it  both  to  her  and  to  you.  And 
furely  our  Mailer  very  reafonably  requires  us  to 
leave  father,  mother,  houfe,  &c.  yea  all,  to  follow 
him.  (Matt.  x.  37.)  And  you  well  know  what 
he  promifes  to  thofe  who  do  it  with  courage  and 
cheerfulnefs. 

As  you  preach  but  once  on  a  Sunday,  permit  me- 
to  advife  you  on  the  other  part  of  the  day,  ta 
give  your  auditory  a  fhort,  plain  and  pradical  Ex- 
■pofition  of  tilt  F.piftie  or  Gofpelfor  the  day  ;  which 
will  be  a  very  ufeful  exercife  to  yourfelf — ex.- 
tremely  agreeable  to  the  parifli — and,  if  I  mif- 
take  not,  it  is  required  in  fome  of  your  Canons 
or  Epifcopal  Diredlions.  (See  Canon  49.)  Ma- 
ny of  our  elder  Clergy  ufed  expounding  in  the 
manner  I  propofe  j    and   Bp.,  Burnet   in  his 

Pqftoral 

*  Some  affli<5livc  circumftances,  which  afterwards  befel  this  cxceU 
lent  parent^  efpecially  a  paralytic  feizure,  reminiied  her  children  of  the 
following  lines  of  Mr.  Pope,  which  are  defcriptive  of  their  filial  af- 
fedlion  towards  her  : 

Me  let  the  tender  office  long  egaje. 

To  rock  the  cradle  of  repofing  age  ; 

With  lenient  arts  extend  a  Mother's  breath, 

Make  languor  fmile,  and  fmooth  the  bed  of  death— - 

Explore  the  thought,  explain  the  afking  eye, 

And  keep  awhile  oae  parent  froni  the  Iky. 


ro        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       Let.  2". 

Pqftoral  Care,  urges  long  Texts,  andJJiort  Sermons^ 
that  is,  expounding.*  I  fuppofe  Dean  Stan- 
HOPE*s  Expofition  of  the  Epiftles  and  Gofpels 
were  dehvered  in  pubHc,  and  alfo  that  of  Hole 
on  the  Catechifm,  and  others.  At  other  feafons, 
it  may  be  advifeable  to  catechife  in  pMic^  the  el^ 
der  children  and  youth,  on  that  part  of  the  Sun- 
day, when  you  do  not  preach,  and  to  expound 
fome  of  the  Catechifm  upon  Lewis's  plan,  uf- 
Ing  the  helps  of  fome  commentators  upon  it.-f-^ 
And  an  hour  once  a  week  might  be  profitably 
devoted  to  catechife  the  younger  children,  either 
in  the  Chancel  of  the  Church,  or  at  the  Parfon- 
age  Houfe,  which  fuits  you  and'  the  feafon  of 
the  year  beft,  to  v/hom  you  might  and  muft 
talk  plainly  and  familiarly.  You  will  find  this 
very  ufeful  to  ycurf el ^,  as  well  as  to  them  ;  as  you 
will  thereby  increafe  a  habit  of  ufi ng  plain  lan- 
guage, and  will  fee  how  far  they  underftand  you, 
and  by  what  they  are  moft  flruck  and  affeded. 
Serious  parents  will  like  yoU' for  this  care  and  at- 
tention to    their  offspring.     1  found    it  of  great 

ufe 

*  S©e  alfo  Ahp.  Hort's  Inftrucfllons  to  the  Clergy,  p.  24,  &c. 
and  Abp.  Secker's  Charges  to -his  Clergy. 

f  I  think  Lewis's  Explanation  of  the  Catechifm,  {fays  Mr.  Orton) 
is  as  good  as  I  have  feea,  (and  I  fuppofe  is  generally  preferred  by  the 
Clergy)  which  has  gone  thiTiugh  a  multitode  of  editions,  and  is  in  the 
Catalogue  of  Trails  difpeifed  by  the  Society  for  promoting  Chriflian 
Knowledge,  and  to  be  had  by  any  of  the  Members  on  the  terms  of  the 
Society.  Dr.  Adams  ufed  to  read  upon  it  at  his  Sunday  Evening 
Ledlures  upoa  the  Catechifm  in  St.  Chad's  C\-\\::Tch,Shre-ivfiurY.  Some 
parts  of  it  are  not,  I  think,  well  fuppported  by  the  texts  which  he 
advanceth  in  proof  :  But  they  may  appear  fatisfa<5lory  to  others, 
though  not  to  me.  It  may  be  advifeable  for  you  to  procure  fome 
commentators;  and  if  you  get  Lewis's  or  any  fmall  commentator 
interleaved,  you  may  add  fuch  remarks  and  reflecSlions  from  the 
other,  as  may  be  inilrudHve  and  ufeful  to  the  children  and  others, 
who  may  attend  your  catechetical  lectures.  You  will  probably  make 
this  a  part  of  your  evening  fervice,  inflead  of  preaching,  .and  it. 
may  be  equally,  if  not  more  profitable  to  your  congregation. 


JiET.  2.       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.        n 

ufe  to  encourage  the  young  men  of  my  congre- 
gation at  Shreiv/btiry^  to  come  to  me  from  eight 
o'clock  to  ten  on  a  Sunday  evening,  and  to  talk 
in  a  friendly  manner  to  them  on  any  ufeful  fui> 
je£t,  efpecially  the  Sermons  of  the  preceding  day« 
By  this  pradice  I  learnt  much  from  them — what 
in  a  Sermon  they  did  not  underftand,  and  what 
they  felt  and  were  improved  by  in  it.     No  ftud- 
ies  at  the  Univerfity  can  teach  this  experimen- 
tal knowledge,   this  acquaintance  with  human 
nature.     As  I  fuppofe  the  Dodor  hath  left  you 
fome  plain,  practical  Books  to  give  away  among 
■the  parifhioners,  it  will  be  natural  to  take  oppor- 
tunities of  afking  tliem,  whether  they  have  read 
and  underftood  them.     By  fo  doing  you  may 
introduce  fome  ferious  difcourfe,  and  learn  fome- 
thing  of  their  charaders,  which  it  would  other- 
wife  be  difficult  to  do,  without  its  appearing  forc- 
ed and  unreafonable  ;  and  they  may  be  led  to 
join  in  the  converfation,  or  elfe  they  may  only 
give  you  the  hearing.     The  principal  difficulty 
in  the  paftoral  care  is  to  get  our  people  to  con- 
verfe  freely,  and  to  open  their  minds.     And  there 
is  no  judicioufly  fuiting  and  applying  remedies, 
without  knowing  the  difeafe,  and  the  patient's 
conftitution  ;  and  this,  in  many  cafes,  can  only 
be  learned  from  themfelves.    You  are,  no  doubt, 
duly  fenfible,  that  God giveth  the  increafe  (i  Cor. 
iii.  6.)  ;  and  you  will  ad  upon  that  good  old 
maxim,  bene  orajfe^  eft  beneftuduijje.     May  God 
multiply  the  feed  you  are  fowing  in  public  and 
private,  and  increafe  in  you  and  by  you,  the  fruits 
of  righteoufnefs  ! 

Your 


X2        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       Let.  3> 

Your  defire  of  my  advice  in  your  prefent  fitua- 
tion,  muft  be  my  apology  for  the  freedom  I  have 
taken  in  this  letter.  As  to  any  other  particulars, 
I  muft  refer  you  to  Dr.  Doddridge's  Life, 
and  Mr.  Philip  Henry's,*  the  fituation  of 
the  latter  in  particular,  fo  exa<5lly  refembling 
your  own.  If  you  meet  with  Herbert's  Coun- 
try  Par  Jon,  pray  read  it.  Probably  you  may  do 
this  in  Wiltjhire,  as  he  was  Redtor  of  Bemerton,  in 
that  x:ounty. 

I  am  your  faithful  friend, 

Job  Orton, 

*  The  fourth  edition  of  which  was  publiftied  by  Mr.  Orton  ia 
*7^5>  price  2S.  6d. 


LETTER      IIL 

Jan.  31,  1772. 
Dear  Sir, 

x\S  a  fincere  friend  to  the  reputation 
and  ufefulnefs  of  the  clergy,  and  the  honour  of 
our  common  Chriftianity,  I  am  an  enemy  to  Plu- 
ralities in  general.  But  you  are  fo  circumftanced, 
that  I  fee  no  material  objection  to  your  acceptance 
of  the  curacy  of  Great  C/iever-el.^  Your  fphere 
of  ufefulnefs  will  be  enlarged  ^  the  inhabitants  of 
that  village  and  its  environs  will  enjoy  your  la- 
bours, without  being  expofed  to  cenfure  for 
rambhng  from  their  own  fold,  and  deferting  their 
eftablifhed  Paflor,  who  I  find  is  very  old,  and  too 
infirm  to  officiate  any  longer  among  them.     I 

prefume, 

f  An  adjoining  parifli. 


Let.  3.        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.         13 

prefume,  as  the  villages  are  To  near  to  one  another, 
all  they  of  Little  Cheverel^  who  attend  your  Sun- 
day Morning  Pra3'ers,  will,  without  difficulty,  ac- 
company you  to  Great  Cheverel -^  and  perhaps  will 
come  there  with  more  fpirit,  as  they  will  be  to 
hear  you  preach  ;  and  they  of  that  parith  will  be 
hkely  to  attend  your  prayers  and  fermons  in  the 
afternoon.  This  was  the  cafe  with  Mr.  Jen  ks,^ 
while  he  held  the  livings  of  Harley  and  Kenley 
together  -,  and  thus  he  fatisfied  his  own  well-in- 
formed and  tender  confcience,  and  vindicated 
himfelf  to  the  world  for  being  a  Pluralifl:.  The 
main  thing  to  be  feared  (fnould  you  accept  this 
curacy)  is,  left  your  proper  pariih,  having  no  fer- 
vice  in  the  morning,  ihould  contracl  an  habit  of 

profaning 

*  The  Rev.  Mr.  Benjamin  Jenks  (author  of  the  book,  of  prayers, 
and  other  pradlical  treatifcs)  was  born  at  Eaton  Cojiantine^  in  the 
■County  of  Salop,  Who  his  parents  were,  and  what  their  rank,  in 
life,  is  uncertain  and  immaterial.  But  he  was  related  to  Bifhop 
WiLLi.\MSj  of  Chick  jier,  to  whom  he  \iedicates  his  Book,  of  Prayers. 
He  was  lome  time  Curate  of  Hat/ty,  before  he  became  Redlor  of  thut 
parifh.  On  the  deatti  of  the  preceding  Incumbent,  Richard  Eari 
of  BsADroRD,  patron  of  the  living,  hearing  Mr.  Jknks  fpoken  of  re- 
fpedlfuUy  by  the  parifhioners,  went  one  Sunday,  in  pri\atc,  to  hear 
him  preach  ;  and  was  fo  much  pleafed  with  his  diicourle,  that  he 
prefented  him  to  tlie  living,  and  m.ade  him  his  chaplain.  Mr,  Jenks 
had  alfo  the  living  of  Kcn/y,  a  fmall  village  about  two  miles  from  Ha/~ 
/ty,  at  both  whicii  churches  he  o/iiciated  alternately,  the  people  of  eacTi 
pariih  ufually  attending  him.  He  kept  no  curate  until  old  age  and 
infirm ites  obliged  him.  He  preached  commonly  without  notes,  and 
prayed  without  a  form  both  before  ai^d  after  fermon.  "  I  have  heard 
(fays  he)  Bilhops  and  Dignitaries,  and  many  Dodlors  and  Divines  of 
our  church,  ail  very  learned  and  p'xous,  pray  zuithcut  the  book,  both  be-  . 
fore  their  fermons  and  upon  other  occafions,  and  with  fuch  a  rational 
and  railed  devotion,  i;s  hath  been  lb  far  from  being  grating  and  often- 
five,  that  it  hath  been  very  iiiHrutflive  and  edifying."  His  people 
had  a  liigh  refpedl  and  veneration  for  him  ;  with  whom,  on  proper 
occafions,  he  would  be  very  eafy  and  farniUar,  ilill  maintaining  much 
authority  over  them.  He  was  remarkable  for  great  candour  and 
moderation  tov.t.rds  woitliy  peribns  of  dilfcrent  religious  perfua- 
fjons  ;  of  which,  the  Editor  of  thefe  Letters  has  in  iiis  polfcllion  fome 

extraordinary 

B 


14        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       Let.  3. 

profaning  or  mifpendlng  the  Sabbath.  But  I 
know  you  will  caution  them  on  this  head,  and  ex- 
hort and  encourage  them  to  go  with  you  :  And 
1  hope  and  beheve,  they  have  iuch  a  regard  to  you 
and  the  Docflor,  and  lb  much  fenfe  of  rehgion,  at 
kail  decency,  that  this  evil  will  not  arife.  Let 
me  entreat  you  to  be  careful  of  your  kealth^'diS  walk- 
ing home  after  preaching,  and  your  lungs  being 
v/armed  by  exercife,  if  the  air  be  cold,  may  be  in- 
jurious to  you  without  great  caution.  Walking 
to  Great  Cheverel^  when  the  weather  is  kot^  may 
be  equally  prejudicial  :  and  returning  home  late 
at  night  from  funerals,  may  be  worfe  than  either. 
I  know  not  what  is  the  cuRom  of  thofe  parillies  i 
but  you  ought  to  make  a  point  of  having  the  fu- 
nerals early.  Laft  night,  in  the  midft  of  a  thick 
Inow  and  fevcre  froft,  our  vicar  and  his  curate 
were  burying  two  corpfes  after  five  o'clock  by 
candle  light.  This  ought  not  to  be  endured. 
You  will  excufe  thefe  hints,  as  young  Minifters 
do  not  always  attend  fuiiiciently  to  thefe  mimitLe, 
If  you  find  any  ferious  or  teachable  young  men 
at  Great  Cheverel^  I  fuppofe  you  wiU  join  them  to 

the 

extraordinary  inflances.  He  preached  at  Hurley  fifty-fix  years,  and 
was  allowed  by  the  patron  to  nomiuate  his  fuccelfor,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Fainter,  who  refembled  him  in  piety,  zeal,  and  moderation. 

Mr.  Jenks  was  married  twice,  died  May  ioth,  1724,  in  his  feverfty- 
eighth  year,  and  was  buried  in  the  chancel  of  Uarhy  churcJi;  where  is 
u  r.eat  monument  with  the  following  iiifcription. 

Venerabilis  \'ir.  Ben.  Jenks. 

In  hac  ccclefui  per  56  annos 
;  Docemlo,  vivendo,  Ici  ibcmdo, 

Animis  lucrandis  incul-ui:. 

Tandem,  Domino  vocante, 

Servus,  bonvis  et  fidelis, 

Caelo  maturus 

Intravit  in  gaudium  seternum 

10  mo  Die  M:\ii,  A.  D.  1724. 

.•Ei..tls  fux  7^VO. 


Let.  j.       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,        15 

the  little  foclety,  which  you  have  already  formed 
in  your  other  pari(h,as  they  will  not  think  it  much 
trouble  to  come  fa  (liort  a  way  to  meet  them. 
Or,  if  that  cannot  be  done,  perhaps  they  might 
be  engaged  to  meet  together  on  a  Sunday  even- 
ing, in  their  own  village,  for  reading  and  religious 
converfation  ;  efpecially,  if  you  can  find  fomc 
prudent  and  experienced  Chriftian  there,  who 
will  preiide  over,  and  affift  them. — I  fubmit  it  to 
your  confideration,  whether  it  would  not  be  ad- 
vifeable  to  fix  on  z.Jlated  day  weekly  to  vifit  your 
new  flock  ;  as  then  they  will  exped  you,  and  I 
hope  difpofe  their  bufinefs  fo,  that  they  may  be 
more  at  leifure  to  receive  you.  You  will,  I  doubt 
not,  take  notice  (particular,  tender  notice)  of 
their  children  ;  inquire  if  they  have  learned  their 
Catechifm,  aik  them  a  few  queftions  in  it,  which 
will  give  you  a  natural  opportunity  of  dropping 
fome  hints  of  encouragement.  In  the  fame  view, 
3'ou  will  afk  them  what  text  you  preached  on  the 
preceding  Sunday,  and  whether  they  remember 
any  thing  which  you  then  laid.  This  will  give 
you  a  handle  to  remind  them  of  what  they  lliould 
have  particularly  attended  to  and  obferved  ;  en- 
gage their  attention  another  time  ;  and  inoflfen- 
fively  admoniih  and  inftru^fl  tlieir  parents,  and 
others  of  the  family,  who  may  be  prefent  ;  who 
fometimes  are  but  larger  children  in  knowledge 
and  underfcanding,  and  need  milk  as  much  as  the 
lefs.  You  will  fometimiCs  call  upon  the  old  In- 
cumbent, (hew  him  all  proper  refpedl  \  and  you 
may,  perhaps,  have  an  opportunity  of  fuggefting 
a  feafonable  hint  to  him,  without  giving  him  of- 
fence :  For  many  teachers  need  to  be  taught. 

As 


1 6        Letters  to  a  Young  C/ergymaH.       Let.  4. 

As  Providence  hath  led  you  into  a  fphere  of 
double  fervice,  I  have  no  doubt  but  you  will 
double  your  diligence  and  your  prayers  :  in  which 
I  heartily  concur,  that  you  may  have  a  double 
portion  of  the  Spirit  of  your  Divine  Maftcr,  and 
that  his  ftrength  may  be  fufficient  for  you. 

I  hope  your  zeal  in  difpofing  of  the  books 
you  fpeak  of,  was  judicious..  Some  fuch  books, 
though  containing  bad  divinity,,  may  be  curious 
in  an  hiftorlcal  view,  or  throw  fome  light  into^ 
fome  parts  of  antiquity  ;  and  therefore  deferve  to 
be  read  and  kept.  1  have  often  picked  up  a  pearl 
from  a  dunghill,  and  fo  am  lefs.  curious  in  my 
choice  of  books  to  read,  than  many  others ;  and, 
indeed,  than  I  ought  to  be,  h?vd  I  lefs  time  for 
reading;.  Some  valuable  anecdotes  from  fome 
very  trifling  books,  have  made  my  fermons  more 
entertaining  and  inftrudtive  than  otherwife  they 
would  have  been  :  therefore  it  may  be  well  to 
run  over  an  indifferent  book  before  it  be  ilaugh- 
tered.  An  Index  Expurgatorius  is  a  dangerous 
thing. 

I  am  your  faithful  friend  and  fervant, 

Job  Orton. 

— -<<«^><s><^«»^ — ' 

LETTER       IV. 

Kiddermiftfter,  March  30,  1772. 

i  AM  very  fenfible  of  your  weight  of 
bufmefs :  but  you  will  not  be  difheartened,  efpec- 
ially  as  you  will,  1  hope,  more  and  more  fee  (in  the 
mercantile  flyle)  that  it  anfwers  very  well.     You 

know 


Let.  4-        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       17 

know  who  could  do  all  things  £y  X/jjrw  fK^'iv^aBvl* 
Phil,  iv.  13.  and  there  your  eyes  will  be  continu- 
ally diredled.  Even  St.  Paul  could  not  do 
without  that ;  and  zviih  that,  who  cannot  do  ? 

I  know  not  what  to  fay  about  extemporary 
preaching.  It  may  on  fome  accounts  be  defirable 
and  ufetul :  but  1  dare  not  encourage  it  in  young 
Divines.  I  never  knew  an  inftance  of  it,.but  the 
preacher  was  carelefs  in  his  ftud'ies,  flovenly  and 
incorred  in  his  difcourfes  ;  and,  lofing  the  habit 
of  accurate  compofitions,  could  never  recover  it 
afterwards.  Yet  I  would  by  no  means  delire 
you  to  confine  yourfelf  entirely  to  your  notes. 
When  a  thought  ftrikes  you,  or  fomething  in 
your  fermon  feems  to  ftrike  your  hearers,  you 
may  addafew  fentences,  as  you  find  matter  arif- 
ing  in  your  mind  :  and  if  you  are  thoroughly 
mafter  of  your  fubjcvft,  and  have  a  good  deal  of 
your  fermon,  efpecially  the  application  of  it  com- 
mitted to  memory,  thus  much  will  be  eafy,  and 
you  will  not  heiitate  and  appear  at  a  lofs.  But 
fuppofe  you  preach  at  your  new  Church,  Sermons 
which  you- have  delivered  at  Little  Chever el  \\2M 
2l  year  ago  ;  not  exadly  as  wrote,  but  commit  the 
fubftance,  every  leading  thought,  and  the  texts 
that  )^ou  have  introduced  into  them,  to  memor)'', 
and  then  enlarge  pro  re  natd.  Or,  you  may  com- 
pofc  and  write  out  one  new  Sermon  every  week, 
and  let  it  be  preached  at  your  churches  alternate- 
ly ;  and  then,  on  the  other  part  of  the  day,  have, 
at  the  other  church,  your  plan,  texts,  and  lead- 
ing thoughts  only  written  down,  and  difcourfe  to 
your  people  from  them.  So  that  each  place  will 
haye  a  complete,  and  a  kind  of  extemporary - 
B  2  difcouric 


1 8        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman »       Let.  4^ 

dlfcourfe  alternately.  But  then,  if  you  do  this  a"s 
it  ought  to  be  done,  It  will  very  little  leiTen  your 
labour  :  For  it  will  require  as  much  pains  ia 
ftudying  your  plan,  texts,  and  fubordinate 
thoughts,  and  putting  them  down,  as  in  writing 
a  fermon  at  large.  But  let  me  caution  you,  nev- 
er to  venture  without  a  finiflied  difcourfe  in  your 
pocket,  left  any  indilpofition  of  your  own,  or  cir- 
cumftance  relating  to  the  congregation,  fhould 
difqualify  you  for  ready  conception  and  utter- 
ance. I  have  known  fo  many  Minifters  becom.e 
injudicious  and  unacceptable  by  a  carelefs  habit 
of  compoiing,  or  rather  of  not  compofing  at  all, 
in  their  younger  days,  and  in  fniali  country  places, 
that  I  make  thefe  conceflions,  guarded  as  they 
are^  with  fear.  The  other  extreme  is  beft  for  a 
young  Divine  to  err  in.  Befides,  there  is  no  way 
by  which  you  will  fo  fpeedily  and  effe dually  in- 
creafe  your  fund  of  theological  knowledge,  as  by 
accurate  compofures.  Thus  you  will  fludy  your 
rubje(5t  carefully,  viewing  and  examining  it  on 
every  fide  ;  confulting  all  the  commentators  yoxh 
m.ay  have  upon  3^our  texts  and  parallel  places, 
and  reading  what  other  Divines  (whofe  writings 
you  may  be  pofTeffed  of)  have  faid  upon  the  fub- 
ject.  So  that  were  you  to  read  nothing  for  a 
whole  week,  but  what  you  would  read  in  this 
method  (except  Hiftory,  Claflics,  &c.  by  way  of 
relaxation)  I  iliould  commend  your  diligence, 
and  fay,  you  had  kept  to  the  good  maxim,  Hoc 


age 


1  found  lately.  In  the  courfe  of  my  reading, 
mention  made  of  a  Mr.  Rowland  Sfedman, 
a  native  of  ^hropjliire^  who,  in  1662,  gave  up  his 


living 


Let.  4.       Letters  to  a  Yoimg  Clergyman,        i^ 

living  of  300I.  per  annum,  at  Oakingham^  Berk- 
fiire,  becauie  he  could  not  comply  with  the  ternis- 
then  required  ;  who  was  an  excellent  preacher, 
and  the  author  of  ieveral  pradical  treatifes.  Is- 
he  an  anceftor  or  relative  of  yours  ?*  I  aflure 
you  I  fhould  think  fuch  a  Divine  and  Confeflbr 
an  honour  to  my  name  and  family,  and  I  believe 
you  will  think  it  fo  to  yours.  Of  another  pious 
Minifter  I  read,,  that  he  found  his  labours  had 
little  effedt  upon  his  own  parilliioners,  but  much 
upon  his  occafional  and  accidental  hearers.  Of 
another^  that  being  complained  of  by  a  neighbour- 
ing Clergyman,  for  drawing  away  his  paritliiooers 
on  aSunday,he  anfwered,  "  1  have  preached  them 
here;  let  him,  if  he  will,  preach  them  back  again." 
Old  Bifhop  Latimer  told  fuch  a  complaining 

Divine -"  Feed  your  flock  better,  and  then 

they  won't  ftray."  Such  hints  as  thefe,  from  em- 
inent and  exi:>erienced  Miniffcers,  have  always  a 
great  weight  on  my  mind.  In  reading  the  Lives 
of  eminent  Men,  you  will  do  well  to  infert  in  a 
Pocket-book,  or  Vade-mecum,  any  hints  of  fto- 
ries,  fads,  or  remarks,  which  you  would  wifh  to 
remember,  or  would  be  proper  to  quote  in  fer« 
mons  or  converfaiicn.  Unlefs  your  memory  be 
much  better  than  mine  ever  was,  you  will  fine! 
this  neceliary. 

I  congratulate 

*  He  was  born  at  Co^f'ton^  in  tiie  parlih  of  DLMlehury,  in  ShrofJJiire^ 
1630.;  admitted  a  commoner  of  Baliol  CoNsge,  Oxford^  March  13,  1647, 
and.  the  year  following  removed  to  Univerjitv  College.  In  1655,  he 
took  hisraafter's  degree,  and  foon  afterwards  became  MiniHer  of  Han" 
ivcli^  near  Brentfordy  Middlcfex ;  where  continuing  until  1 660,  he  remov- 
ed to  Oakingham,  in  BcilJhirey-M\A  from  thence  was  ejedted  for  noncon- 
formity. He  was  afterwards  Cliaplain  to  Phiuip  Lor^  WHASTo>f, 
and  died  at  his  Lordlhip's  feat  at  yVohourne,  near  Beacomjiddy  Buchy 

Sept.  14,  1673,  and  lies  buried  in  the  church  there, $^Q  IVoQif^ 

/lthm(£  Qxonienfe'i^  V.   II-  p.   381. 


'2jo        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       Let.  5. 

I  congratulate  you  on  the  approach  of  Springs 
when  every  fcene  will  be  enlivened  around  you, 
and  a  country  village  will  become  a  kind  of  para- 
dife.  It  gives  me  pleafure  to  think  what  favour- 
able opportunities  of  ulefulnefs  you  will  have  in 
your  rural  walks,  to  fee  your  farmers  and  fliepherds 
at  work,  and  caHting  with  them  and  their  fervaqts 
about  their  occupations,  in  an  eafy  and  natural 
way,  grafting  fome  religious  hints  upon  it,  di- 
redting  them  to  fpiritualize  their  labours,  and 
rife  to  God,  and  ChriH,  and  Heaven  by  their 
common  occurrences.  And  while  you  exhort 
them  in  the  words  of  Solomon,  to  "  be  diligent 
to^  know  the  ftate  of  their  flocks,  and  to  look 
well  to  their  herds,'*  (Prov.  xxvii.  23.)  you  will, 
like  a  good  fliepherd,  take  the  hint  yourfelf. — 
May  the  dews  of  divine  grace  be  largely  diffufed 
into  you  and  your  flock,  that  you  may  be  adorn- 
ed with  all  the  beauty  of  Chriflian  graces,  and 
abound  in  all  the  fruits  of  righteoufnefs  ! 

1  am  your  affe(flionate  and  faithful  humble 
iervaut.  Job  Or  ton. 

LETTER        V. 

June  10,  1772. 
Dear  Sir, 

JL  HE  death  of  the  old  Incumbent  of 
Great  Cheverel^  is  an  affefting  leflbn  to  the  laity, 
but  efpecially  to  the  clergy ;  which  I  pray  God 
they  may  lay  ferioufly  to  heart.  I  wifh  you  may 
be  continued  in  the  Curacy,  provided  the  new 

Redor 


Let.  5.       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.         ^f 

Re6lor  fliould  not  choofe  to  refide.  Fellows  of 
Colleges,  who  have  been  many  years  immured  in 
their  colleges,  are  not  always  the  moil  fit  perfons 
to  be  Parlih  Priefts  ;  not  knowing  well  how  to. 
preach,  or  converfejOr  behave  to  common  people ; 
except  they  have  a  heart  truly  ferious,  and  that 
will  make  up  every  other  defeat  in  country  places^ 

I  am  glad  you  are  pleafed  with  the  two  vol- 
umes of  CLtJBBE's*  Trads,  which  I  defigned 
for  your  fervice,  and  beg  your  acceptance  of 
them.  His  Sermon  before  the  Sons  of  the  Cler- 
gy at  Ipfvoicky'2iXii\  the  Letter  to  a  Young  Cler- 
gyman, are  very  excellent.  His  Tract  on  In- 
fant Baptifm  is  lenfible  and  clear,  and  the  others 
are  entertaining,  and  indeed  ufeful  ;  for  they  ex- 
pofe  the  folly  of  many  writers,  efpecially  on  fub- 
jeds  of  antiquity,  and  indeed  of  fome  of  the 
Clergy,  who  fpend  too  much  of  their  time  iri- 
fuch  iludies^ 

I  know  not  what  Hijlory  of  England  io  recom- 
mend to  you.  Some  are  fo  large,  fome  fo  iliort, 
and  fome  fo  partial,  it  is  hard  ta  fay  which  is 
beft,  or  which  is  good.  A  general  acquaintance 
with  our  hiftory  is  very  defirable.  But  it  is  of 
great  importance  to  be  acquainted  with  fome 
periods  of  it,  particularly  the  Reformation,  Civ- 
il Wars,, and  Revolution.  1  know  none  better 
than  Burnet's  Abridgment  of  the  Preformation  y 
and  his  Hifory  of  Ms  ozvn  Times.  W  el  wood's 
I^femoirs  is  a  good  abridgment  of  our  hiftory 
from  James  I.  to  King  William.  I  have  heard  a 
good  charader  of  Goldsmith's  Hifory^  but 
have  not  ktn  it.  But  I  would  principally  rec- 
ommend 

*•  Reaor  of  WhatfieU  in  Suffolk. 


2  2         Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       Let.  6. 

ommend  to  you  to  get  fome  books  of  Biogra- 
phy.; efpeclally  the  Britijh  Biography^  which  is 
very  full  and  cheap,  and  the  beft  thing  of  the 
kind  I  have  feen.  This  will  give  you  a  good  ac- 
quaintance with  our  hilliory  in  general,  with  par- 
ticular peribns  and  their  writings,  and  above  all, 
will  fur  nidi  you  with  many  little  anecdotes  and 
{lories  to  infert  in  your  fermons,  which  will  en- 
tertain and  edify  your  hearers.  There  is  a  book 
which  I  would  recom'mend  to  you,  as  extremely 
ufeful  in  this  view,  called  "  The  Trimnphs  of 
Faith^^  printed  for  Dilly — price,  half  a  crown. 
I  am  your  faithful  friend, 

Job  Orton* 


LETTER       VI. 

Augnjl  19,  1772, 
Dear  Sir, 

1  SHOULD  have  wrote  to  you  long 
ago,  had  not  my  great  weaknefs  prevented  me, 
owing  to  which,  I  was  obliged  to  drop  all  correC- 
pondence,  but  what  I  could  carry  on  in  fliort- 
hand. 

I  thank  you  for  your  very  kind  and  friendly 
Letter,,  and  all  the  encouragements  and  confola- 
tion  it  fuggefls.  It  is  not  only  a  proof  of  your 
friend fhip  ta  me,  but  an  evidence,  that  "  the 
Lord  hath  given  you  the  tongue  of  the  learned, 
to  fpeak  a  word  in  feafon  to  them  that  are  wea« 
ry  i*'  *  and  in  that  view  it  gave  me  peculiar  pleaf- 

ure*. 

♦  Ifaiah  1.  4, 


ILet.  6.       Letters  io  a  Yotwz  Clervyma/i.        zi 

ure.     The  long  continued  dry  tind  hot  weather 
we  have  had,  though  fo  favourable  to  the  earth, 
was  injurious  to  me;  weakened  my  Httle  flrength, 
and  quite   took  away  my  fpirits.     I  have  been 
in  a  ver)'  lang-uiihing  (late,  fmce  the  end  of  June, 
Within  a  week  pafh  I  have  been  confiderably  re- 
vived ;  though  I  have,  and  fhall  have,  returns  of 
my  diibrder,  and  my  nerves  continue  in  a  mofh 
(battered  condition  :    nor  can    I   expect  they 
will  be  much  better,  until  we  have  cooler  weath- 
er.    My  mind  hath   indeed  been  in  a  gloomy 
(late  ;  which  I  doubt  not,   as   your  very   kind 
Letter  fuggefts,  is  much  owing  to  my  corporal 
diforder  :   but  when  eternity  feems  juil  in  view, 
confcience  awakens  and   alarms ;  youthful   fins, 
which  have  been  deeply  and  daily  mourned  over 
before  God,  appear  yet  exceeding  (inful ;  and 
the  fins  of  a  profeiibr  and  a  Mmifter^  appear  pe- 
culiarly heinous.      A  thoufand   defe£ls  and  neg- 
ligences in  miniilerial  work,  and  efpecially  in  the 
paftoral  care,  appear  then  ^reat  (ins.     You  read 
my  writings,    and   fee  my  out  fide  only  ;    but 
know  not  "  the  plague  of  my   heart,"  the  fad 
remains  of  corruptions  and  fenfual  afFediions,  dif- 
tracled,  cold  devotions,  and  little,  languid  love 
and  zeal.     Yet  it  hath  been  the  main  bufinefs  of 
my  life  to  do  good  ;  and  I  think  my  governing 
principle,   to  ferve  the  Lord  Chrifl.      Worldly 
wealth,  honour,  pleafure  and  applaufe,  I  never 
fought.     I  have  been  endeavouring  to  ferve  my 
fellow-creatures  while  I  had  ability,  and    have 
been  attempting  it  in  my  prefent  fiiate  of  filence, 
weaknefs  and  obfcurity ;  and  though  confcious  of 
innumerable  imperfedions,  this  affords  me  fome 

comfort. 


-5,4        Letters  to  a  Ymm^  Clergyman.       Let.  6. 

comfort.  I  have  fometlmes  a  cheerful  hope  ;  at 
other  times  it  is  weak  and  wavering,  and  thofc 
fears  which  have  torment,  prevail.  But  in  the 
darkefl  feafons,  I  keep  looking  and  crying  to 
God  for  his  pardon  and  help  ;  that  he  would  dif- 
cover  to  me  any  latent  hypocrify  or  fm  ;  and,  if 
he  feeth  it  good,  dart  a  ray  of  light  and  peace  in- 
to my  foul.  I  place  no  dependence  upon  any 
works  or  worthinefs  of  my  own,  but  lie  at  the 
foot  of  the  crofs,  as  a  humble,  penitent  believer, 
and  fixing  all  my  dependence  there.*  I  write 
thefe  things  partly  for  your  warning,  partly  for 
your  encouragement  ;  but  chiefly  that  you  may 
the  better  know  how  to  pray  for  me.  I  wi(h  to 
know  more  clearly  (and  he  can,  if  he  fees  good, 
J^iew  me)  how  far  the  body  darkens  the  profpeds 
of  the  foul,  or  how  far  remaining  corruptions  and 
failings  occaiion  anxious  fears.  I  daily  pray, 
"  Shew  me  wherefore  thou  contendefL  with  me.'' 
Job  X.  2.  And  1  hope  God  will  not  deny  a  re- 
quefl,  which  his  word  and  Spirit  didate, 

1  rejoice 

*  Sir  John  Hawkins,  in  his  life  of  Dr.  Johnson,  gives  us  the  fol- 
lowing account. — "  In  :i  vifit,  which  I  made  him,  in  confequence  of 
a  very  prefiing  requeil  to  fee  me,  I  found  him  labouring  under  great 
dejedtion  of  miod.  He  bade  me  draw  near  hmi,  and  faid,  he  wanted 
to  enter  into  a  leriousconverfation  with  me;  and,  upon  my  exprelling 
a  wiliingnefsto  join  in  it,  he,  with  a  loois.  that  cut  me  to  the  heart-, 
told  me,  that  lie  had  tiie  prolpe(5l  of  death  before  him,  and  that  he 
<lreaded  to  meet  his  Saviowr.  I  could  not  but  be  aftouilhed  at  fuch  a 
xleclaration,  and  advifed  him,  as  I  had  done  once  before,  to  refledl  on 
the  couffe  of  his  life,  and  tl;e  fervices  he  Jiad  rendered  to  the  caufe 
of  rel-gion  and  virtue,  as-^vell  Iiy  his  example,  as  his  v/ritings ;  to 
which  he  aafwered,  that  he  had  written  as  a  philoi'opher,  but  had  not 
lived  hive  one.  In  the  eftimation  of  his  offences,  he  reafoned  thus-^ 
*'  Every  man  knows  his  own  nns,  and  alfo,  wh.it  grace  he  has  refilled. 
But,  to  tiiofc  of  others,  aad  the  circ.jnifiances  under  whicli  tney 
were  committed,  he  is  a  ftranger  :  he  is,  tiierefore,  to  look  on  himfelf 
ssthe  greateft  finner  that  he  knows  of."  Attheconcluho!^  of  thi<;ar- 
j:,ument,  which  he  flrongly  enforced,  he  uttered  this  palhonate  ex- 
flamation — **  Shall  I,  who  have  been  a  teacher  oi  ethers,  myfeif 
be  a  callawJiy  ?" Life,  p.   563, 


Let." 7-       Letters  to  a  Yomi^  Chr^yman.        25 

I  rejoice  that  your  bow  abides  in  flrexngth,  and 
that  you  have  any  encouragement  in  your  la- 
bours.    May  the  I.^ord  increafe  it ! 

What  glorious  Harvefl-Weather  1  I  hope 
3^ou  will  preach  y<)ur  people  a  Harvejl- Sermon. 
What  think  you  of  Ifaiah  ix.  3.  (middle  elaulei 
for  a  text,  which  plainly  refers  to  the  Gofpel  ? 
See  ver.  i,  2.  The  Joy  of  Harveft  great — rea- 
fonable,  on  account  of  plenty — good  weather — 
freedom  from  enemies.  But  Joy  of  the  Gofpel 
greater — better  blefTings,  relating  to  the  foul  and 
eternity-— bought  and  purchafed  by  Chrifl: — free- 
ly befhowed,  he.  A41  Ihould  rejoice  in  fuch  a 
Gofpel — efpecially  thofe  who  have  felt  its  power, 
Excufe  thefe  hints. 

This  is  the  longeft  Letter  I  have  written  for 
fome  time  :  and  indeed  writing  at  any  time,  ef- 
pecially now,  is  fatiguing  to  me. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  your  faithful  friend, 

Job  Orton. 

LETTER       VII. 

■T-k  c  051,  16,  1772. 

Dear  Sir,  '    // 

IVIy  lon[2;  ilinefs  rhis  fummer  threw 
me  fo  m.uch  behind  hand  with  my  correfpond- 
ents,  that  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  recover  that 
punduality,  which  I  fliould  be  glad  to  maintain. 
I  blefs  God  I  have  been  in  better  health  and  fpir- 
its  for  three  weeks  pail:,  than  for  three  months 
before,  and  indeed  am  now  as  well  as  I  ever  ex- 
C  pea 


26        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       Let.  7, 

ped  to  be.     But  the  wetnefs  of  the  feafon  is  a 
hindrance  to  my  riding,  walking,  writing,  every 
thing.     My  mind  is  freer  from  tormething  fears .; 
but  either  thefe  bad  nerves,  or  fomething  worfe, 
deprive  me  of  thofe  comfortable  hopes  1  wifli  to 
enjoy.     But  the  divine  Phyfician,  whofe  regimen 
is  always  right,  may  fee  it  beft  to  keep  fome  of  his 
patients  low.     They  may  not  bear  a  higher  diet. 
Probably  the  health  of  the  foul  may  be  beft  pro* 
moted  by  it ;  and  then  all  will  be  well  in  the  iffue. 
I  rejoice  in  your  encouragement  in  your  Paf-^ 
toral  Vijits.     You  have,  I  think,  gone  as  far  as 
you  prudently  can  at  lirft.     As  your  intimacy 
with  your  people  increafes,  they  will  be  more 
open  in  converfation  with  you,   and   then  you 
may  properly  put  particular  queftions  to  them. 
For  inftance  :    ''  Do  you  pray  in  fecret  ?  With 
a  form,  and  what  form  ?  or  without  ?"  So  as  to 
family-prayer.     Your  method  of  lending  books.^ 
he.  is  very  ufeful,  as  it  will  furnifh  you  with 
fome  natural  queftions  about  tlieir  attention  and 
improvement  ;  which  will  not  appear  forced  and 
lugged-in,  and  fo   not  terrify  them,  nor  appear 
impertinent  in  you.    It  would  be  well  io pray  zvitk 
families y  whereever  you  think  it  can  prudently 
be  done  ;  and  hints  may  be  dropped  in  prayer 
inoffenfively,  which   may  (hew  them  their  duty. 
Mr.  Henry  faith,  '*  Pra3^er  may  preach."     And 
I  have  often  found  perfons  obferving  and  improv- 
ing fuch  hints,  which  could  not  be  given  in  an 
addrefs  to  them  without  danger  of  offence.     But 
caution  is  neceftary  here,  not  to  let  them  fee  too 
plainly  what  you   think   of  their  ftate.     This 
may  be  dangerous  both  ways.    Petitions  ground- 
ed 


Let.  7.       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,        27 

ed  on  the  treachery  of  the  heart,  the  frequency 
and  danger  of  lelf-deceit,  and  for  divine  learch, 
illumination  and  guidance,  are  always  proper  and 
ufeful  ;  except  you  have  reafon  to  believe  your 
friends  are  eftablilhed  Chriftians.     Even  com- 
mon appellations,  as  thy  fervant^  thy  hand-maid^ 
may  in  fome  cafes  do  harm,  as  you  knov/,  and  will 
know,  how  prone  perfons  are  to  catch  at  any  fha- 
dow  of  hope  without  penitence  and  faith.      This 
perfoUy  or  this  ourfriend\\s  lefs dangerous  language. 
It  is  good  to  pray  particularly  for  children  and/d-r- 
vants  In  a  family.     This  pleafes  and  edifies  them, 
and  may  fuggefl  ufeful  hints  to  them  and  their 
fuperiors  ;  but   to  be  too  particular  Is  wrong. 
I  think  it  a  very  ufeful  way  to  inquire  of  the 
younger  children  whetlier  they  remember  the  text 
of  the  laft  Sunday's  Sermon,   (as  their  parents 
(hould  be  delired  to  teach  It  them  :)  and  of  the 
elder  children,  whether  they  remember  any  thing 
of  the  Sermon.     When  they  CA'ped  fiTch  an  in- 
quiry, they  will  be  more  attentive,  and  then  you 
may  familiarly  talk  over  fomething  of  the  Sermon 
with  them,  particularly  what  was  mod  fuited  to 
their  capacity  and  circumftances.     I  allure  you, 
I  have  often  learned  much  from  the  anfwers  of  lit- 
tle children  to  fuch  queries  ;   learned  what  part 
of  a  fermon  they  befi  underftood,  were  affeded 
with,  what  kind  of  fentlments,  or  language  fhruck 
them  ;  and  fo  knew  how  better   to   preach   to 
children,  that  is,  to  nine  parts  in  ten  of  every  au- 
ditory ;  for  fo  many  are  children  in  underfband- 
ing.     To  talk  over  with  them  any  remarkable  occur- 
rence In  the  pariOi  or  neighbourhood, as  the  death 
of  a  child — fudden  death — the  feaibn  of  the  year 

— or 


2  8        Letters  to  a  Yonn^  Cleygymam       Let.  7; 

— or  uncommon  phenomena — may  be  ufeful  ^ 
or  ibm.ctimes  to  give  each  a  text  of  fcripture  (al-r 
ways  afnort  one)  to  remember  and  think  of  againfb 
the  next  meeting,  and  then  talk  it  over  with 
them  ;  efpecially  a  text  fuited  to  any.  particular 
failing  in  them,  or  circumftance  of  their  family — 
as  againfl:  lying,  idlenefs,  love  of  finery,  or  llov« 
enlinefs — fleeping  at  church — or  playing  on  the 
Sabbath  ;  or  fuppofe  once  in  a  year  you  were  to 
preach  a  Sermon  to  Children,  and  give  notice  o£ 
it  the  preceding  Sunday — To  have  your  notes 
with  you  in  the  pulpit,  yet  to  enlarge,  as  occaiioii 
may  require,  is  befl.  When  pious,  pertinent 
thoughts  ariie,  purfue  them,  as  far  as  you  find 
matter  ilow  eafily.  Application  is  the  life  and  foui 
of  preaching  ;  warm  addreffes,  according  to  your 
liearers'  different  characters,  Rations  and  circum- 
flances  v^rill  be  ufeful.  After  your  pailoral  vifits 
or  catechiling,  keep  hints  of  what  you  learn  and 
obferve,  which  may  diredl  the  flrain  or  pointing 
of  your  public  difccurfes.  Teaching  is  one  of  the 
befl  ways  of  learning  :  and  there  is  in  aMinifler's 
work,  as  in  matter,  adion  and  re-adion.  His 
own  foul  and  his  people's  will  thus  be  reciprocally 
influenced.  Perhaps  nothing  is  more  necelfary, 
than  frequently  and  plainly  to  caution  perfons, 
efpecially  the  fick,  againfl  laying  an  undue  ftrefs  on 
the  Lord^s  Supfer,  having  vvTong  notions  of  it, 
and  expecting  from  it  what  it  was  never  delign- 
ed  to  produce  or  convey.  I  have  knov/n  fome 
worthy  Clergymen  complaining  of  their  great  em- 
barraliment  in  this  refped.  And  as  it  is  very 
grievous  to  have  any  thing  like  arguing  and  dif- 
puting  with  the  fick  and  dying,,  this  ihould  often 

be 


Let.  7.       Letters  10  a  Young  C/ergyman,        29 

be  done  In  the  pulpit  and  converfation  when  they 
are  well.     But  enough  of  thefe  fubjeds. 

I  am  truly  concerned  on  account  of  Dr.  Ston- 
HOusE*s  mournful  accounts  from  India^  and  very 
tenderly  fympathize  with  him  under  this  fevere 
trial  ;  knowing  how  much  a  perfon  of  his  delicate 
frame  and  irritable  nerves,  mufl  fuffer  by  fo  un- 
expedVed  an  event.*  But  I  pray  and  hope,  that 
God  will  fupport  him,  and  enable  him  (lill  to  go 
on  with  his  Mafter's  work.  An  acceflion  oifpir- 
itual  children,  begotten  in  Chrift  Jefus  by  the 
gofpel  preached  by  him,  will  be  his  beft  relief  and 
cordial  under  this  heavy  afHiifllon  ;  and  In  the 
profpe6t  and  hope  of  this,  I  trull  he  Vv^ill  perfevere. 
God  often  calls  his  Minifters  to  peculiar  trials, 
that  he  may  exhibit  them  as  examples  of  patience, 
meeknefs,ferenity,and  even  cheerfulnefs,and  lead 
them  to  recommend  and  enforce  their  public  ex- 
hortations thereby.  It  is  oood  to  have  this  in  our 
thoughts  in  our  afflided  feafons,and  to  do  honour 
to  our  religion  and  profeffion,  by  a  refemblance 
to  our  divine  Mafter.  To  his  alTiftance,  compaf- 
fion,  and  blefling,  I  heartily  recommend  him. 

You  will  do  well  to  make  Mosheim's  Ecck- 
fmfitcal  Hijlory,  translated  from  the  Latin,  by 
Maclaine,  fl^miliar  to  you,  as  it  is  I  think  the 
beft  on  the  fubjed  :  and  Dr.  Jortin,  who  was 
an  excellent  judge  of  a  book  of  that  kind,  com- 
mends it  as  the  moft  honeft,  impartial,  and  com- 
prehenfive  of  any  he  had  met  with. 

You  have  my  beft  wifhes  and  prayers  for  your 
good  fuccefs. 

I  am  your  affedlonate  friend,  &c. 

Job  Orto^t. 

*  The  death  of  his  Ton.  Q    2 


30        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       Let.  8, 

LETTER      VIIL 
Dear  Sir, 

It  gave  me  great  pleafure  to  receive 
a  Letter  from  you  with  fo  mxicX^  JJiort-hand  m  it, 
as  it  fhewed  me  you  had  appHed  clofely  to  it,  and 
that  with  a  little  daily  care  you  will  foon  be  maf- 
ter  of  it.  You  rnuft  make  yourfelf  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  prepofitions,  terminations, 
and  fymbolical  and  arbitrary  marks,  as  well  as 
the  meaning  of  the  alphabet.  You  will  find  it 
of  ngnal  ufe  to  yourfelf  in  faving  time  and  labour, 
and  making  your  correfpondence  with  fome  of 
your  friends  more  eafy  ;  and  for  want  of  it,  you 
are  fpoiHng  a  good  Viand,  and  ufmg  yourfelf  to 
fo  many  abbreviations,  that  it  is  not  eafy  to  read 
them.  I  hope  I  fhall  not  puzzle  you  too  much 
with  what  I  now  fend. 

I  can  add  nothing  further  to  v/hat  I  faid  in  my 
iaft  about  the  manner  of  praying  imth  families  and 
particu/ar  perfons.  You  can  only  judge  of  what 
is  moil  proper  in  this  relped,  from  your  previous 
knowledge  of  their  ftate  and  circumftances,  and 
from  what  you  learn  in  converfing  with  them. — > 
Your  method  of  afking  children  and  grown  peo- 
ple whether  they  remember  the  texts  on  which 
you  have  been  preaching  the  Sunday  before,  is 
very  propter,  and  will  naturally  lead  you  into  fome 
ferious  difcourfe  with  them,  and  lead  them  to 
.  fuch  anfwers,  as  will  enable  you  to  form  a  judg- 
ment of  their  temper  and  fhate. 

Afet  of  yearly  fermons  to  young  people,  to  par- 
ents and  children  (which  you  have  thoughts  of 

preaching, 


Let;  S.        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       ji 

preaching,  and  of  which  you  aik  my  advice)  may 
probably  havei  this  inconvenience  attending  it, 
that  in  a  few  years  you  may  be  at  a  lofs  for  frefii 
materials.  It  may  be  done  very  well  for  a  year 
or  two.  But  it  feems  to  me  a  better  way  to  intro- 
duce thefe  fubjedls  by  preaching  upon  fome  fcrip- 
ture  hiilories  :  as  for  inftance,  what  is  faid  of- 
Ahraham'i  commanding  his  children  and  houfe- 
hold  to  keep  the  way  of  the  Lord  ;  of  JoJJmas  ref- 
olution  to  ferve  the  Lord  with  his  houfe  ;  of  Da^ 
vid's  inftrudions  to  his  fon  Solomon,  and  the  like  ; 
the  early  piety  of  Jofeph,  Obadiah,  Jabez,  Solomon^ 
Timothy,  and  efpecially  our  Lord  Jefus  ChrijT, 
Thefe  hiilories  are  ftriking,  and  will  at  once  ex- 
plain and  enforce  the  duties  you  recommend ;  and 
fo  with  regard  to  all  other  relative  duties. 

Your  ftory  of  the  good  woman  at  Great  Chev- 
erel  is  dehghtful,  and  full  of  inflru6lion.  It 
fliews  how  abfurd, ungrounded, uncharitable, and 
wicked  it  is,  to  fiy  af  parities  and  congregations 
where  tlie  gofpel,  in  our  vievv'  of  it,  hath  not  been 
preached,  "  There  is  no  religion  there — not  one 
lerious  perfon — not  one  pious  foul."  See  Johri 
i.  46 — 48. 

Have  you  ever  feen  and  read  Jenk  s'sM"^J//j- 
t'lons  /"'*  If  you  have  not,  I  fuppol'e  you  may  bor- 
row them  of  Dr.  Ston house.  They  are  very 
ferious  and  excellent  things,  on  a  great  variety  of 
fubjeds  ;  almoft  each  of  which  contains  the  fub- 
ftance  and  heads  of  a  fermon,  and  will  furnilli  ex- 
cellent materials  for  your  compofitions  for  the 
pulpit  j  though  his  flyle  is  none  of  the  beA". 

Merivale*s 

*  In  two  volum-25  oi;avo,  printed  for  Rivington,  in  St,  Pi»«/'9 

Cliurch-yard, 


52        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       Let.  S. 

MfiRi  vale's  Daily  Devotions  for  the  Clofet^* 
I  have,  and  think  them  excellent.  The  author 
was  a  mod  worthy,  learned  and  pious  man,  a  na- 
tive of  Northampton i  and  of  the  fame  clafs  with 
me  at  the  academy,  and  afterwards  divinit5^-tutor 
at  the  academy  at  Exeter.  Sander cacK's 
Sermons,  in  two  volumes,  are  lively,  judicious,  fe- 
rious,  and  familiar. 

Had  you  looked  into  your  lexicons  for  the 
meaning  of  the  word  Chrematijiic,  you  would  have 
found  that  it  fignifies,  the  art  of  getting  and  fav- 
ing  money,  from  X^>i/u,a,  money,  fubftance,  wealth, 
&c.  Xj^YifMo^i^iplog  hath  a  different  fenfe  in  the 
New  Teftament,  and  means  warned  of  God  in  a 
dream.  Where  you  are  in  doubt  about  any  fuch 
words,  never  reft  until  you  have  obtained  fome 
knowledge  of  them.  By  this  method  you  will 
increafe  your  ftock  of  learning,  and  with  compar- 
atively little  trouble. 

I  have  little  to  fay  of  myfelf.  I  blefs  God,  I 
am  in  pretty  good  fpirits,  but  weak  and  unfit  for 
any  bulinefs.  The  late  wet  and  windy  weather 
hath  been  prejudicial  to  me,  by  hindering  my 
riding,  and  depriving  me  of  comfortable  fleep. 
But  I  would  be  thankful,  that  I  am  able  to  read, 
and  fometimes  to  write  a  little  to  my  friends,  and 
fo  I  hope  am  not  quite  ufelefs  in  the  world.  I 
greatly  want  a  heart  to  improve  folitudeand  in- 
firmities better,  to  feel  more  of  the  love  of  God, 
and  fubmiilion  to  him,  and  better  hopes  as  to  fu- 
turity. In  this  view,  I  doubt  not  but  you  will 
continue  your  prayers  for  me.     May  the  great 

Head 

*  Price;  two  /hillings;  printed  for  Buckland;  in  Pat?rnoiler- 
Row. 


Let.  9«       Letters  io  a  Young  Clergyman:        j^.- 

Head  of  the  church  Increafe  all  your  gifts  and; ' 
graces,  and  make  you  abundantly  ufeiul  to  all. 
the  people  committed  to  your  charge  ! 

Lam,  dear  Sir,  your's  affectionately. 

Job  Or  ton. 
P.  S.  November  6y  ^11'^^  which  reminds  me 
of  the  day  of  the  year  on  which  Dr.  Doddridge 
died.  The  recollection  of  which  event  affeds 
me  with  deep  humility,  and  at  the.  fame. time 
with  much  thankfulnefs.  I  wifh  his  Life  may 
be  of  ufe  to  you*  It  coft  me  immenfe  pains,  and 
helped  to  hrea,k  my  conflitution. .  But  I  hope  it 
hath  done,  and  will  do,  fome  good  ;  though 
thofe  who  I  think  on  many  accounts  fliould  have 
paid  the  greateft  attention  to  it,  have  regarded 
it  lead. 


LETTER       IX. 

March  27,  1773.. 
Dear  Srir, 

1  AM  forry  you  meet  with  fo  much 
difcouragcment  from  your  new  pariQiioners, 
But  if  you  did  not  expedl  fuch,  5^ou  were  too  fan- 
guine,  and  did.not  fufficiently  confider  the  ftate 
of  that  parilh.  It  was,  I  luppofe,  like  Solo- 
mon's field  of  the  ilothful,  all  overgrown  with 
thorns  and  nettles,  the  fences  broken  down,  or 
out  of  repair,  and  all  the  marks  of  negligence, 
and  its  bad  confequences  appearing  in  it.  Were 
you  to  take  a  farm  in  that  condition,  you  would 
notexpedl.to  fee  it  become  fruitful  and  beauti- 

fu4 


54        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       Let.  9. 

ful  all  at  once,  or  with  the  utmofl:  pahis  you  could 
t-ake,  in  a  few   months,  or  even  years.     But  tl^^e 
minds  of  finners  are  more  untradable  than  a  neg- 
lected  farm.     The  weeds  of  fin  are  fo   many, 
and  have  taken  fuch  deep  root,  that  it  is  not  ea- 
fy  to  eradicate  them,  much  lefs  to  deftroy  the 
feeds.     It  is  hard  to  break  up  the  fallow  ground 
of  hearts,  which  has  been  long  uncultivated. 
Hofea  X.  12.     But  the  hand  of  the  diligent  will 
in  time  do  great  things,  and  the  bleffing  of  the 
Lord,  which  will  attend  it,  (if  his  diligence  ex- 
tends to  prayer  as  well  as  labour)    can  break 
through  the  greatefl  difficulties.     You  will,  no 
doubt,  ftudy  fome  awful  fubjefts  to  awaken  and 
convince  obftinate  fmners  ;  yet  not   dwell  too 
much  upon  thefe,  but  try  to  draw  them  at  times, 
with  the  cords  of  love,  and  the  endearing,  ftrik- 
ing  motives  of  a  glorious  gofpcl.     When  you 
hear  of  any  of  them  behaving  ill,  you  will  take 
aa  opportunity  of  talking   privately   to   them. 
But  then,  I  think  it  will  be  beft  not  to  enter  too 
largely  upon  their  particular  fins  and  faults,  (elfe 
they  will  probably  be  difplcafed)  but  reprefent  to 
them  in  general  the  evil  of  fin,  the  temporal,  fpir- 
itual,  and  eternal  mifery,  which  men  are  bringing 
upon  themfelves  and  their  children  by  vicious 
courfes;  and  put  into  their  hand  fome  little  TraB, 
againfl:  the  vice  which  they  are  guilty  of,  or  the 
v^fhole,  or  part  of  Dr.  Stonho use's  Admonitions 
againji  /wearing^  jahhath-hreaking^  and  drunken- 
nejs,*     If  you  have  any  ferious,  judicious  Chrif- 
tians  in  either  of  your  parilhes,  who  are  acquaint- 
ed 

*  Price  one  penny,  or  6s.  an  hundred.      This  little  tra(5l  is  in  the 
caiaiogue  of  the  Society  for  promoting  Cliriftian  KuOwIedse> 


"Let.  9.       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,        35 

ed  with  thofe  perfons  who  give  you  fo  much  con- 
cern, endeavour  to  prevail  upon  them  to  talk  a 
4itt]e  feriouily  to  them  at  proper  times  :  for  in 
many  cafes,  a  hint  of  advice  given  by  one  of  the 
Laity  hath  more  effed,  and  is  better  received^ 
than  when  it  comes  from  a  Clergyman,  as  they 
will  think  the  latter  is  only  ading  ex  officio,  and 
that  his  exhortation  doth  not  fo  much  proceed 
from  a  real  concern  for  their  reformation  and 
iiappinefs.  You  will,  I  doubt  not,  confider  that 
your  cafe  is  the  very  cafe  in  fome  degree^  o{  every 
faithful  Minifter  of  Jefus  Chrift.  It  was  the 
cafe  of  the  holy  Apoflles  (2  Cor.  xii.  20j  21.) 
and  was  the  cafe  of  their  Lord  and  ours  himfelf* 
And  though  it  fhews  a  right  dlfpofition,  when  a 
Minifter's  heart  is  grieved  and  humbled  in  fuch 
circumitances,  yet  he  Ihould  not  be  difcouraged^ 
but  proceed  with  fo  much  the  more  vigour  in  his 
work,  comforting  himfelf  with  this  thought,  that 
God  may  at  length  awaken  the  mofb  careiefs  and 
humble  the  mofh  obftinate  fmners  ;  or  that  fome- 
thing  we  fay  to  them  m.ay  (lick  by  them,  and 
produce  fome  good  effed  hereafter,  perhaps  when 
we  are  removed  to  another  fliation  or  another 
world  ;  that  others  receive  benefit  by  our  la- 
bours ;  that  all  are  not  difobedient  to  the  word, 
and  unfruitful  under  our  miniflry  ;  and  that  we 
iliall  be  a  fweet  favour  to  God,  accepted  and  ap- 
proved of  him,  in  them  that  perilh  as  well  as  in 
them  that  are  faved  ;  2  Cor.  ii.  15.  and  that  God 
will  reward  his  Miniflers  in  proportion  to  their 
pains  and  diligence,  and  not  their  fuccefs.  In 
the  mean  time,  fuch  events  are  of  ufe  to  Minif- 
■ters  themfelves,  to  humble  them^  make  them 

more 


3'6        ^Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       -Let.  9. 

-niore  watchful  and  zealous,  and  more  earneft  in 
-prayer  for  all-conquering  grace.* 

I  am  now  reading  the  works  of  Mr.  William 
^Perkins,  an  eminent  Tutor  and  Divine  2itCam- 
Jjiidge  in  Qu  e  e  N  Elizabeth's  reign .  They 
are  three  volumes  in  folio,  and  I  have  got  through 
one  of  them.  What  leads  me  more  particularly 
to  read  him  was,  that  his  elder  brother  was  one 
of  my  anceflors,  from  whom  I  am  in  a  dired  line, 
by  my  motheT's  fide,  defcended.  1  think  him 
•an  excellent  writer ;  his  flyle  is  the  befi:  of  any 
.t)f  that  age,  or  the  next,  and  many  paflages  in 
his  writings  are  equal  to  thofe  of  the  bed  writers 
in  modern  times.  He  is  judicious,  clear,  full  df 
matter,  and  deep  Chriftian  experience.  He  wrote 
,all  his  works  with  his  left  hand,  being  lame  of  his 
rights  and  died  about  forty-four.  1  could  wifh 
W/ Minifters,  efpecially  ymmg  onQS^  would  read 
■diim,  as  they  would  find  large  materials  forcom- 

pofition. 

■  *  Mr.  ORTXiN  onte  wrote  to  an  eminent  Divine-of  the  EftabliiTied 
Church  as  fallows. — "You  fay  you  c^o  no  goo^.1  by  preaching."  This 
is  talking  weakly;  I  had  almoft  ufed  a  harder  word.  Should  you 
TiOt  be  chided  for  it  ? — "  Why  do  you  leave  oft"  preaching  ?"  faid  old 
.Bifhop  Latimer  to  a  complainer  like  you  ?  He  anfwered,  "Becaufc 
'i  do  no  good,  my  lord."  The  Billiop  replied,  "  That,  brother,  is  a 
jiaughty,  a  very  naughty  reafon"—^ You  do  not:  kncv/  what  good  you 
have  done,  are  doing,  may  yet  do,  and  even  after  you  are  dead.  No 
good  man  preaches,!  am  confident,  ■^^•ithol;rt  doing  feme  goo  J,  and 
iTiore  than  he  knows  of,  or  will  know  of,  until  the  great  dilcovering 
day.  To  have  done  our  heft  is  moral  merit ;  and  God  will  graciouily 
accept  and  reiv^^rtl  it.  What  great  good  difi  our  Mi-fter  himfelf  do  ? 
■'<  Who  hath  believed  his  report  ?"  Ifai.  liii.  i;  Who  would  have 
thought  that;  &,v  fhould  ever  have  talked  of  doing  ^.o  good  by  preaching, 
when  God  hath  done  you  -fo  much  honoar  already  in  your  nrinifterial 
^haradler  r  I  am  afhamedof  yoa  ;  and  almoft  angry  at  you.  Labour 
more,  and  pray  more  ftill.  "  If  the  iron  be  blunt,  as  Solomon^  fays, 
then  put  to  more  ftrengfh."  Ecclef.  x.  lo.  If  you  begin  to  be  luke- 
warm, whatever  your  motive  is,  it  cannot  be  a  good  one.  I -am  not 
clenr,  that  I  ever  did  much  lajVng  good  in  m.y  life  ;  yet  I  do  not  re- 
pent my  attesr.jns,  I  am  humbled  and  afhamed  daily,  thatthey  were 
not  more  and  better.  Remember^  that  ^reachin^  is  of  God's  own  ap- 
pointhicnt." 


L:et.  9-       Letters  fo  a  Youn^  Clergyninn.        37 

pofition.  He  hath  fome  trads  agninn:  the  Pa- 
pifls ;  appears  to  have  been  a  pretty  high  Cal- 
vinift,  but  he  hath  mamy  admirable  things  in 
pra5lical  divinity.  Mis  works  arc  little  known  in 
England^  but  they  are  ftill  in  eftimation  in  Ger- 
many, many  of  them  being  written  in  elegant  Lat- 
in, and  others  translated  into  German.  Some 
account  of  his  life  may  be  fecn  in  Clark's  Lives 
of  Eminent  Men.  He  was  efteemed  a  Puritan, 
and  met  with  fome  difficulties  on  that  account.* 
As  a  fpeci  men  of  Perkins's  manner,  I  fend  you 
the  following  quotations.  Speaking  of  St.PAUL's 
labouring  in  vain,  he  adds,  *'  It  may  be  demand- 
ed, what  mud  be  done,  when  the  labours  of  our 
calling  are  in  vain  ?  Anjwer.  We  mufi:  follow 
the  command  and  caUing  of  God,  whether  we 
have  good  fuccefs  or  no,  and  whatever  comes  of 
it.  Though  Paul  feared  his  labour  v/as  vain, 
y^t  ftill  he  laboured.  When  Peter  had  labour- 
ed all  night  and  caught  nothing,  at  the  command 
of  Chrift  he  faith,  at  thy  word  will  I  caft  out  my 
net.  And  thus  to  do,  whatever  follows,  is  true 
w^ifdom  and  the  fear  of  God.  For  it  muft  fuf- 
fice  us,  that  the  work  we  take  in  hand  is  pleaf- 
ing  to  God,  and  though  it  fhould  be  in  vain 
with  refpect  to  m^en,  it  is  not  fo  before  God. 
This  every  man  muft  remember  in  his  place  and 
calling  for  the  eftabliihment  of  his  mind  again  ft 
all  events. 

"  Minifters  are  to  temper  their  gifts  and  fpeech 

to  the  condition  of  their  hearers.    The  Corinthians 

D  were 

*  Mr.  Granger  in  his  Bhgraphlca!  H:j%ry  hySy — ''He  was  depriv- 
ed by  Archbifhop  Whitgift  for  being  a  Puritan.  But  his  greit 
learning,  worth  and  influence  made  the  high  party  alhamed  and  afraid 
to  proceed  to  any  violent  meafures  v/ith  him." 


3^        Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       Let.  9. 

were  babes  in  Chrlft,  and  Paul  fed  them  with 
milk.  To  the  Jews  he  became  a  Jew,  &c.  For 
this  caufe,  it  were  to  be  wiflied,  that  cateckifing 
were  more  ufed  than  it  is  by  our  Minifters :  For 
our  people  are  for  the  mod  part  rude  and  unin- 
flrucled.  A  fermon  to  fuch  perfons  is  like  a  great 
loaf  fet  before  a  child.  It  is  no  difgrace  for  leanv 
ed  Minifters  in  a  plain  and  familiar  manner  to 
catechife.  This  is  to  lay  the  foundation,  without 
which,  all  labour  in  building  is  vain.  In  much 
hearing  they  learn  little,  becaufe  they  know  not 
the  grounds  of  dodlrine,  that  are  ufual  in  all  fer- 
mons.  It  is  a  fault  in  miany,  that  they  love  to 
hear  fermons  which  are  beyond  their  reach,  in 
which  they  fliand  and  wonder  at  the  preacher, 
and  plain  preaching  is  little  refpedled  of  fuch." 
You  will  judge  of  his  ftyle  and  manner  by  thefe 
quotations.  1  have  lately  found  in  his  works,  an 
analylis  and  harmony  of  the  whole  Bible  for  the 
ufc  of  ftudents  at  Cambridge. 

I  think  I  have  now  paid  you  in  your  own  coin, 
and  filled  my  paper  to  the  utmoft.  If  any  thing- 
be  acceptable  and  ufeful  to  you  in  its  contents,  I 
fliall  be  glad.  I  am  thankful  for  your  prayers, 
which  are  mxUtual.  Think  of  me,  as  laid  afide 
from  public  work,  and  almofl  ufelefs ;  and  learn 
from  it  to  work  while  it  is  day,  before  difability 
comes,  or  the  night,  when  no  man  can  work. 
And  may  God  work  effedually  in  you,  with  you, 
and  by  you  ! 

1  am  your  fmcere  and  affedionate  friend, 

Job  Orton. 


LETTER 


Let.  io.-      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       39 
LETTER       X, 


Dear  Sir, 


April  17,  1773, 


L 


ATELY  reading;  Chaucer's  Char- 


o 


acler  of  a  Good  Parfon^  as  publifhed  by  Dry  den, 
and  recolleding  ibme  things  in  your  lad  letter 
about  your  method  of  preaching,  induced  me 
to  tranlcribe  the  following  lines,  and  fend  them 
to  you. 

He  bore  his  great  co  ripaiflloa  in  his  look, 
But  Iweeth'  temper'd  avve  ;  and  foflen'J  all  he  fpoke. 
He  preach'd  the  joys  of  heav'n  and  paias  of  hell, 
And  warn'd  the  fi'iner  with  becoming  zeal  ; 
But  Oil  eternal  mcrcv  lov'd  to  dwell. 
He  taught  the  gofpel  rather  than  t!ie  law  : 
And  forc'd  himfelf  to  drive  ;  but  lov'd  to  draw. 
For  fear  but  frightens  minds  ;  but  love,  like  heat, 
Exhales  the  foul  fublirne,  to  feek  her  native  feat. 
To  threats,  the  ftubborn  finner  oft  i?  hard  : 
Wrapt  in  his  crimes,  agaiuH:  the  florm  prepar'd  ; 
But,  when  the  milder  beams  of  mercy  pi  ly", 
H^  melts,  and  tlirows  his  cumbrous  ckviL  avv-ay. 
Lightnings  and  tliunder,  (Heav'n's  artiibn) 
As  harbingers  before  th'  Almighty  fly  : 
Thofe,  but  proclaim  his  ftyle,  and  difaj  pear  ; 
The  fliller  found  fucceds  ;   and  God  is  there. 

There  is  much  truth  and  weight  in  thefe  lines, 
and  my  own  experience  confirms  the  propriety 
and  importance  of  attending  to  them. 

I  am  glad  to  hear,  that  you  preach  to  large 
jcongregations.  But  it  is  not  eafy  to  know  what 
good  is  done  by  our  preaching.  If  we  had  not 
ground  to  hope,  that  more  good  is  done,  than 
appears  in  general,  it  would  be  very  difcouraging. 
But  great  modefty,  diffidence,  or  fome  other  prin- 
ciple, prevents  our  people  from  letting  us  know, 
how  they  like  our  ferm.ons,  and  what  good  they 

get 


40       Letters  to  a  Youn^  Clergyman.      Let.  io* 

get  by  theai.  Befides,  we  are  lowing  feed, which 
may  feem  loil,  but  may  only  lie  dormant  for  a 
while,  yet  may  grow  and  ipring  up  and  bear  fruit 
h.ereaftcr,  perhaps  fome  years  hence,  perhaps  not 
until  we  are  dead.  1  am  glad  you  (S.^^  not  per- 
plex yourielf  on  this  head,  as  indeed  you  iliould 
not  ;  but  while  you  endeavour  to  do  your  du- 
ty faithfully,  leave  the  event  to  God.  Yet, 
as  it  is  very  defirable  to  know  what  fuccefs  at- 
tends our  labours,  every  prudent  method  fhouM 
be  taken  to  know  it.  This  is  indeed  a  very 
nice  point.  One  cannot  make  a  dire6l  in- 
quiry, whether  our  fervices  are  ufeful  or  eveit 
acceptable,  without  appearing  vain,  and  to  court 
applaufe.  Yet  it  is  proper  to  introduce  In  your 
vifits,  fome  converfation  upon  the  fubjed  of 
your  laft  fermon,  and  to  remind  the  people  of 
it.  This  may  be  done  without  any  breach  q^ 
modefty,  and  may  lead  them  to  open  their  hearts 
freely  on  the  fubjed:  ;  and  thus  we  may  judge, 
how  far  they  underftood  and  rehfhed  what  was 
faid,  and  whether  they  were  the  better  for  it. 
And  by  this  means,  we  may  preach  over  the  fame 
truths  to  particular  perfons  or  finiilies  In  private, 
perhaps  with  more  force  and  fuccefs  than  in  the 
pulpit.  Among  the  poor  and  plain  people,  yo.u 
may  be  quite  free  and  open  on  this  head,  and  may 
aik.  them  whether  they  underdood  fuch  and  fuch 
afu])je6l.  They  will  not  fufpecl  you  of  vanity, 
or  any  low  ends ;  though  probably  fome  of  the 
higher  ranks  might,  among  whom  vanity  is  {o 
prevalent.  Here  wifdom  is  profitable  to  direcfi:, 
and  a  perfon  may  In  fome  meafure  judge  by  them 
of  the  tempers  and  characters  of  thofe  about  him. 

I  was.= 


Let.  10.      Letters  to  a  Yoim^  Clergyman.       41 

I  was  glad  to  hear  of  Dr.  Stoniiouse's  fafe 
arrival  at  Teefon,  after  fo  perilous  a  iourne5\  I 
almoft;  envy  him  the  company  of  Mrs.  B.  and  her 
agreeable  family.  Has  he  told  you  that  he  held 
a  conventicle  at  her  houfe  on  the  Sunday  even- 
ing ?  This  was  in  charadler — being  "  inflant  in 
feafon  and  out  of  feafon.'*  I  am  often  com- 
forted by  Rom.  xi.  2,  4.  God  hath  many 
hidden  oneSy  even  among  the  great  as  v/ell  as 
the  fmall. 

T/ie  Book  of  Devotions^  which  you  faw  at  my 
houfe,was  publiflied  byWiL  li  am  Austin, Efq. 
o'i  Lincoln\s  htn,  who  was  a  Papift  in  Charles 
THE  FiRST*s  time.  You  will  fee  his  name 
and  a  letter  to  him,  in  Howell's  Familiar 
Letters,  and  fome  account  of  him  in  Granger's 
Biographical  Hiftory.  It  was  reformed  and  purged 
from  the  popifh  tenets  by  Dr. Hicks,  and  after- 
wards by  Mr.  Dorr  I NG  TON;  and  great  ufe  hath 
been  made  of  it  by  many. other  devotional  writ- 
ers. It  contains  fuch  noble  and  fublime  fbrains 
of  devotion,  as,  I  think,  are  not  to  be  met  with 
any  where  but  in  the  Bible.  So  devout  may  a 
Papifl  be.  He  wrote  fome  other  pieces,  and 
died  about  the  year  1638. 

Reading  lately  in  one  of  my  old  favourite 
books,  (Bolton)  I  found  in  it  this  remark  : 
That  St. Paul,  addrening  himfelf  to  the  Church- 
es,  widies  them  grace  and  peace  from  God  and 
our  Lord  Jefus  Chrifl  :  but  to  Timothy,  and 
Titus,  who  were  young  Divines, he  wifhes  them, 
grace,  mercy,  and  peace  ;  intimating  how  much 
they  of  all  men  flood  in  need  of  divine  mercy ^ 
on  account  of  the  very  important  office  they  fuf- 
D  z  tained;, 


42       Letters  to  a  Young  dergyman.      Let.  ir. 

tained,  and  the  duties  incumbent  on  Miniftcrs. 
It  is  a  very  uietul  iiint,  and  deierves  ferious  con- 
iideratlon.  I  am  always  glad  to  hear  from  you 
and  am  Your  affedionate  fervant, 

Job  Ortok^ 


LETTER       XT. 

Aug.  24,  1773. 
Dear  Sir, 

JL  Wi\S  very  glad  to  hear  of  your  fa& 
arrival  at  Cheverel^  and  of  the  agreeable  circum- 
ftances  which  attended  your  return  to  it.     The 
kindnefs  of  Providence   in  pveferving  us  in  our 
journeys,  and  guarding  us  in  our  going  out  and 
coming  in,  demands  a  very  ferious   and  grateful 
acknowledgment,  and  lays  us  under  freQi  obliga- 
tions to  be  adive  in  the  fervice  of  the  bountiful 
and  gracious  Preferver  of  men.     I  need  not  in- 
form you  that  there  is  a  wide  difference  between 
tlie  formal  acknowledgment  of  the  divine  care, 
which  is  often  found  even  in  the  word  of  men, 
and  that  lively  gratitude,  and  quick  fenfe  of  ob- 
ligation, v/hich  I  fear  is  not  often  found  in  the 
hearts  of  good  m.en.     We  are  too  prone  to  for- 
get common  mercies.     It  is  therefore  defirable,  af- 
ter a  long  and  various  journey,  ferioufly  to  recoi- 
led the  feveral  flages,  circumftances,  and  occur- 
rences of  it,  that   we  may   be  particular  in  our 
thankfgivings,  and  more  adive  and  zealous  in 
ferving  our  gracious  Protedor.     When  I  was  in 
my  better  days,  I  ufed  to  fpend  about  oae  month 


Let.  II.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       43 

in  a  year  in  vifiting  my  relations  in  IVarivichfJiire^ 
and  Northami)tonJhtre,  being  feldom  from  home 
at  any  other  time.  The  Sunday  after  my  return, 
I  generally  preaclied  upon  fome  fubjed,  that  led 
me  to  take  notice  of  the  circumftances  through 
which  I  had  paifed  ;  and  I  found  thefe  difcourfes 
were  peculiarly  agreeable  to  my  people,  and  were 
perhaps  as  ufefulas  any  I  preached.  As  a  fpec- 
imen,  I  recolledl  having  preached  on  thofe  oc- 
cadons  from  theie  texts.  Pfulm  xxxv.  10.  (former 
part)  Pfalm  xxxvii.  27.  xci.  1 1.  cxvi.  9.  Proverbs 
xxvii.  8,  againft  unneceliaryjournies  and  vifits.*' 
Ifaiah  xliii.  2.  Daniel  v.  23.  A<Sls  v.  20.  xxvi.  22. 
xxxviii.  15.  (latter  part.)  Romans  i.  11.  xv. 
29.  XV.  32.  2  Cor.  vii.  3.  xii.  21.  Phil.  i.  22. 
I  Their,  iii.  8.  3  Epift.  of  John  iv.  4.  Ibid.  6. 
You  will  excufe  my  mentioning  thefe  texts,  as 
you  may,  perhaps,  think  it  worth  your  while,  if 
Providence  fpare  your  life,  to  handle  fome  of 
them  on  fuch  occafions. 

I  prefume,  that  after  you  have  confidered  the 
mercies  of  your  late  journey,  you  have  been  care- 
fully reviewing  the  expenfes  of  it.  And  unlefs 
you  have  been  more  frugal  than  I  ufed  to  be, 
have  found  the  expenfe  hath  been  great ;  and 
fome  articles  have  been  incurred,  which  ought 
to  have  been  avoided.  Excufe  me,  my  dear  Sir, 
if  I  fhould  have  any  fears  about  you,  lefk  you 
fhould  contract  an  habit  of  not  calculating,  or 
forgetting,  what  it  will  coil  you,  to  gratify  the 
feelings  of  good  nature,  to  indulge  your  fancy, 
or  to  pleafe  your  relations  and  friends.     And  let 

me 

*  This  Sermon  is  printed  in  his  two  Volumes  of  Difcourfej  oft 
Pi a^cai  Subjeaj.    See  Yo^,  U,  Dif.  j^    Price^  fi^^  Ovilinss, 


44       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  ii. 

me  befeech  you  to  labour  this  point  with  all 
your  might,  to  keep  exa6l  accounts  of  all  your 
expenfes,  efpecially  to  mark  all  fuperfluous  and 
unneceflary  articles,  and  to  keep  a  ftrift  guard 
upon  your  conduct  and  inclination.  It  will  re- 
quire no  little  reiblution  and  felf-denial  to  do 
this,  and  to  adt  as  fuch  a  calculation  and  recol- 
ledion  will  fuggeft  to  you  that  you  fhould  have 
acled.  I  have  known  inftances  among  your 
Clergy  and  ours,  of  thofe  who  have,  by  t hough t- 
lefsneis  and  want  of  keeping  accounts,  expofcd 
themfelves,  their  profeffion  and  fundion,  to  con- 
tempt, and  thereby  greatly  lelfened  their  efteem 
and  ufefulnefs.  Shall  I  mention  to  you  a  recent 
inftance  of  this  kind,  which  prefented  itfelf  to 
me  but  the  laft  week  ?  Our  good  friend  Mr. 
R  *  *  *  came  here  to  reprefent  the  cafe  of  a  dif- 
fenting  Minifler  of  his  acquaintance,  who  hath 
always  been  an  eafy  tempered,  thoughtlefs  man, 
who  had  not  courage  and  felf-denial  enough  to 
fay,  "  NO,  I  cannot  afford  it,"  when  he  iliould, 
and  might  juflly  and  honourably  have  faid  it. 
He  hath  a  vv^ife,  many  fmall  children,  and  is  fo 
deeply  in  debt,  though  he  hath  a  pretty  good  fal- 
ary,  that  unlefs  his  friends  can  help  him,  he  mull 
go  to  gaol,  lole  his  place,  falary  and  ufefulnefs, 
and  his  wife  and  children  come  to  the  parilh.  I 
hope  Mr.  R  *  *  *  will  get  him  money  fufficient 
to  fet  him  free  from  his  pre  fen  t  difficulties.  But, 
I  fear,  though  he  promifes  very  fair,  that  he  is  one 
of  that  fort,  of  whom  Solomon  fays,  If  t/wu 
help  him,  thou  mujl  do  it  \et  again.  Prov.  xix.  19. 
There  needs  no  application  of  this  melancholy 
ftory,  but  the  old  adage,  "  Happy  is  he,  whom 

other 


Let.  II.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       45" 

other  mea*s  harms  do  make  to  beware.*'  I  know 
you  will  excufe  thefe  hints  from  a  friend,  who  in- 
terefts  himfelf  fi acerely  and  tenderly  in  all  that 
concerns  you,  and  would  not  have  your  good  to 
be  evil  fpoken  of,  or  your  ufefulnefs  any  way  lef- 
lened.  I  hope,  therefore,,  you  will  particularly 
attend  to  that  part  of  the  good  man's  character, 
that  he  guides  his  affairs  with  difcretion.  Pfalni 
cxii.  5.  and  gives  no  occajion  to  the  adverfary  to 
fpeak  reproachfully,     i  Tim.  v.  14.* 

One 

*  The  firil  virtue  which  .ippears  to  m«  of  importnnce  (fays  Mr. 
Pauev)  \'n  /•:igai:ty.  If  there  be  a  firuation  in  the  world  in  whicl\' 
profufioa  is  without  excufe,  it  is  that  of  a  young  Clergyman  who  has. 
little  bcfide  his  profe.Tion  to  JepeiiJ  upon  for  his  fupport.  It  is  folly 
— it  is  ruin — FoUv,  for  whether  it  aim  at  luxury  or  fhow,  it  mufl  fail 
miferably  ihort  of  its  Jefign.  I;i  thefe  co;ti petitions  we  are  outdone 
by  every  riva'.  The  provifion  which  Clergymen  meet  w  ith  upon  their 
entrance  into  the  church  is  adequate,  in  mofl  cafes,  to  the  wants  and 
decencies  of  their  fituation,  but  to  nothing  more — To  pretend  to  morc,. 
is  Co  fet  up  our  poverty,  not  only  as  the  fubjecl  of  condant  obf^rvc- 
tion,  hut  as  a  laughing-frock  to  evey  obfcrver.  Prof..:fioa  is  ruin  : 
for  it  end^,  and  fcon  too,  in  debt,  in  injuftice,  and  infolvency.  Yaa 
well  knoA'  how  meanly,  in  tl;e  country  nr>ore  efpecially,  eveiy  man 
is  thought  Of  who  cannot  pay  his  credit  ;  in  what  terms  he  is  fpokea 
of — in  what  light  he  is  viewed,  what  a  deduftion  this  is  from  his  good 
qualitie?,  what  an  aggravation  of  his  bad  ones — what  infulis  he  is  ex- 
pofed  to  from  his  creditors,  Vv'hat  contempt  from  all.  Nor  is  this  jud>t- 
ment  far  amifs.  Let  him  not  fneak  of  honeily,  vvdio  is  daily  pracSii- 
ing  deceit ;  for  every  man  who  is  not  paid  is  deceived.  Let  him  not 
talk  of  liberahry,  who  puts  it  out  of  his  power  to  perform  one 
adl  of  ir.  Let  him  not  boaft  of  fpirit,  of  honour,  of  independence, 
who  fears  the  face  of  his  creditors,  and  who  meets  a  creditor  in  every 
ftreet.  There  is  no  meannefs  in  frugality  :  the  meannefs  is  in  thofe 
fhifts  and  expedients^  to  which  extravagance  is  fure  to  bring  men. 
Profufion  is  a  very  equivocal  proof  of  generofity.  The  proper  diflinc- 
tion  is  not  between  hira  who  fpends  and  him  who.  faves,  for  tliey 
may  be  equally  felfiih  ;  but  between  him  who  fpends  upon  himfelf, 
and  him  who  fpends  upon  others.  When  I  extol  frugality,,  it  is  not 
to  p.aife  tliat  minute  parfjmony  which  ferves  for  little  but  to  vex  our- 
felves  and  teaze  thofe  about  us  ;  but  to  perfuade  you  to  ecemwy  upon  a 
flan,  and  that  plan  deliberately  adjufled  to  your  circumftances  and  ex- 
pecflations.  Set  out  with  it,  and  it  is  eafy  ;  to  retrieve,  out  of  a  fmall 
income,  is  not  impoiTible.  Frugality  in  this  fenfe  we  preach,  not  on- 
ly as  an  article  of  prudence,  but  as  a  lelTon  of  virtue.  Of  this  frugal-- 
ity  it  has  been  truly  faid,  that  it  is  the  parent  of  liberty,  of  independ- 
ence, of  geaerofitv.  ^Jvics  addrejfed  to  the  Youn^  Cler^\. 


46       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,      Let.  ii. 

One  of  m}^  young  friends,  who  hath  been  at 
Oxford^  at  the  inftallatlon  of  Lord  North,  as 
Chancellor  of  that  unlverfity,  fpent  a  day  or  two 
with  me  lad  week,  and  (hewed  me  a  very  great 
curiofity.  It  is  a  circular  letter  addrefled  to  the 
Clergy  by  one  Dr.  Trusler,  who  lives  in  Lon- 
don ;  containing  propofals  to  furnifli  them  with 
fermons  from  our  beft  Divines,  and  fome  never 
publiOied  nor  preached,  at  one  fliilling  for  each 
lermon,  engraven  on  copper-plates,  that  they 
may  look  like  a  manufcript,  and  that  perfons, 
who  can  fee  thePreacher*s  notes  from  the  gallery, 
may  fuppofe  them  to  be  his  own  hand  writing. 
This  is  a  new  and  fine  contrivance,  and  what  a 
Clergyman  (who  wants  no  fuch  helps)  properly 
calls,  ^'  An  help  for  tlie  lame  and  the  lazy.*'* 

Since  1  began  this  Letter,  a  friend,  who  hath 
been  at  Hagley  fome  days,  informs  me,  that  he 
thinks  Lord  Lyttleton  can  live  but  a  very 
(hort  time.  I  do  not  find  that  he  has  any  appar- 
ent  bad  diforder,  but  is  fmking  under  the  weight 
of  domeflic  forrows.  So  little  can  his  wealth, 
honour,  title,  palace,  park,  literary  reputation, 
and  high  character  throughout  Europe  fupport 
him  under  his  afflitftions.     What  a  melancholy 

proof 

*  But  hark — the  Doiflor's  voice — 
He  haiJs  the  Clergy  ;   and,  defying  fhair.e, 
Aanounces  to  the  world  his  own  and  theirs. 
He  grinds  divinity  of  other  days 
Down  into  modern  ufe  ;  transforms  old  print 
To  zig-zag  manufcript,  and  cheats  the  eyes 
Of  gaU'ry  critics  by  a  thoufand  arts. 
Are  there  who  purchafe  of  the  Do6lor's  ware  ! 
Oh  name  it  not  in  Oath  !   It  cannot  be, 
That  grave  and  learned  Clerks  fhould  need  fucli  aid. 
He  doubtlefs  is  in  fport,  and  does  but  droll, 
.Atfuming  thus  a  rank  unknown  before, 
Grand  caterer  and  dry-nurfe  of  the  Church. 

Co\VPtB.'i;  Tajl,  firp  ^>ub!:jliLi  in  I7S5. 


Let.  12.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       47 

proof  of  the  truth  of  Solomon's  obfervation, 
that  all  is  vanity.^ 

I  have  lately  fent  a  fmall  trad  to  the  prefs, 
contaiaing  Three D if courfes  on ChriJiian7.eal^vjh\Q\i 
I  lliall  beg  your  acceptance  of  as  foon  as  they 
are  publifhed.  I  fliall  be  thankful  if  Providence 
makes  me  an  inflrument  of  doing  good  in  this 
way,  while  I  am  di fabled  from  appearing  in  the 
pulpit.  I  heartily  with  you  fuccefs  in  all  your 
pious  and  benevolent  attempts  to  do  good,  and 
am,  Dear  Sir, 

Your  affedionate  friend, and  humble  fervant. 

Job  Orton. 

The  Lady's  verfes  upon  Dr.  S***,  are  pretty. 
But  he  will  not  plume  himfelf  upon  them.  Al- 
lowance mud  be  made  for  the  poetica  licentia. 
The  compliments  of  our  friends  do  us  no  harm, 
but  good,  when  we  improve  them  by  vigorous 
endeavours  to  be  what  they  fugged  we  already  are, 

<-^<4t^  ^^^>,^>_ — 

LETTER       XIL 

mv,  5, 1773. 

Dear  Sir, 

1  AM  very  glad  to  hear  that  you  have 
come  to  a  refolution  to  have  nothing  further  to  do 
with  Mr.  *  *-  *  *  in  the  way  of  correfpondence 
or  intimacy.  And  I  hope  you  will  extend  your 
refolution  to  all  men  of  that  fort,  be  they  ever  fo 
pious  and  zealous.  My  reafon  for  this  advice  is 
plain.     You  are  not  likely  to  do  Mr.  *  *  *  *  any 

good. 

*  His  Lordlhip  died  the  next  day. 


4^       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  i2. 

good.  There  is  no  mending  wrongheads,  efpec- 
ially  when  they  are  influenced  by  what  they  think 
a  zeal  for  God,  and  imaghie  that  their  good  in- 
tentions will  juftify,  and  even  faniftify,  all  their 
imprudence  and  irregularities.  You  never  can 
make  him  fee  that  he  is  adling  wrong  and  impru- 
dently. You  may  confute  luch  men,  but  you 
can  never  convince  them.  Another  lubftantial 
reafon,  why  you  fhould  decline  all  correfpondence 
with  him  is,  that  you  will  be  likely  to  be  a///- 
ferer  by  him.  Not  that  1  fuppofe  he  will  cor- 
rupt you,  or  lead  you  into  any  of  his  irregulari- 
ties \  but  thefe  Ibrt  of  Divines  will  never  be  eaf}^, 
except  thofe,  who  they  think  are  pious,  will  join 
in  their  meafures  and  approve  them.  If  you 
join  in  them,  you  hurt  your  own  credit  and  ufe- 
fulnefs,  and  the  peace  of  your  own  mind  ;  and 
your  name  and  example  will  be  confidered  and 
quoted  as  a  fan£tion  for  all  their  irregularities. 
If  you  do  not]d\Vi  in  them,  they  will  cenfure  and 
mifreprefent  you,  yea,  and  treat  you  worfe  than 
they  would  a  meer  formalifl.  I  have  feen  many 
jnftances,  and  felt  fome  of  the  effects  of  this  kind 
of  zeal,  though  it  no  way  hurt  me.  Several 
Preachers  of  this  {tamp,with  whom  1  had  not  the 
leafl  acquaintance,  and  never  faw  until  I  came  to 
this  town,  ufed  to  call  upon  me,  fup):)o(ing  me, 
I  imagine,  according  to  their  ideas,  to  be  found 
in  the  faith,  and  a  well-wnfher  to  their  defigns. 
But  when  they  found  I  would  not  lun  all  their 
lengths,  and  difcouraged  their  proceedings,  (ef- 
pecially  their  rafh  and  uncharitable  way  of  fpeak- 
ing  and  judging  o{  others ^  particularly  their  cen- 
(u res  of  ^// the  Clergy,  who  were  not  CdijiniJIs^ 

however 


LTet.  12.       Letters  fo  a  Young  Clergyman,       49 

however  pious,  worthy  and  ufeful)  they  began  to 
think  evil  of  me,  and  now,  to  my  great  fatisfac- 
tion,  I  fee  none  of  them.  I  fhail  not  forget  the 
advice  which  a  venerable  old  man  of  Northa.  o- 
'ton,  with  his  point-coHar-band,  once  gave  aie 
concerning  fuch  perfons,  "  Neither  blefs  them  at 
all,  nor  curfe  them  at  all."* 

Mr.  ****,  the  Re(5tor  of  *  *,  is  undoubtedly 
a  man  of  good  fenfe  and  abilities,  but  he  appears 
to  me  to  think  thefe  things  have  nothing  to 
do  with  religion.  I  once  faw  one  of  his  fer- 
mons,  in  which  were  fome  good  and  ftriking 
remarks,  but  little  or  no  judgment.  The  fub- 
je(fl  of  it  was,  concerning  the  Influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  ;  but  he  quoted  a  variety  of  texts 
at  random,  moft  of  them  only  applicable  to 
the  Apoftles^  as  a  flight  attention  to  the  context 
would  have  (hewn  him,  but  he  applied  them 
zvithout  diflin^ion  to  all  true  Chrijiians,  and  from 
thence  he  drew  many  abfurd  confequences,  and 
injudicious  hearers  might  have  drawn  a  great 
many  more. 

I  cannot  think  Mr.  *  *  *  *  at  all  judified  in 
his  excurfion  to  B  *  *,  becaufe  he  thinks  the 
proper  Minifter  of  that  parifh  is  negligent  in  the 
difchargc  of  his  dut5^  If  that  were  a  reafon  for 
tranfgFeffing  all  rule  and  ordbr,  it  would  hold 
good  in  fo  many  cafes,  as  would  produce  univer- 
fal  confufion  and  diforder.  Another  Clergyman 
may  think  it  his  duty  to  go  into  neighbouring 
pariflies  to  preach  againft  the  Methodifts^  or  thofe 
that  are  fo  called.  Another  might  go  and  preach 
E  againft 

*  "  If  fucli  preachers  do  good,  I  fhall  rejoice,  jind  fay  of  them  as 
Mr.  Philip  Henry  did  of  Lambert's  foldjers,  "  Lord,  own  them;, 
if  they  truly  own  thee." 


^o       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  12. 

againfl  the  Athanafian  Greedy  or  fome  other  parts 
and  paflages  of  theZ//z^r^,as  feveral  of  them  have 
lately  and  warmly  written  againft  them.  And 
what  diilurbance,  uneafinefs  and  mlfchief  would 
be  the  confequence  of  fuch  a  condudt.  If  it  is. 
vindicable  in  Mr.  *****s  cafe,  it  is  vindicable 
in  others,  and  all  parifh  order  and  regularity 
would  beat  an  end.  Even  St.  Paul  himfelf, 
with  all  his  apofbolic  authority  and  endowments, 
would  not  go  mto  another  man's  line.  See  2  Cor. 
X.  12,  to  the  end  of  the  chapter.  Where  you 
may  fee  what  St.  P  au  l  was,  and  what  Mr.  *  *  *  * 
and  every  wife  Clergyman  ought  to  be.  God  is 
the  God  of  order,  and  not  of  confufion,  in  all  the 
Churches  of  the  faints :  and  it  is  our  rule  to  do 
all  things  decently  and  in  order. 

My  Book  of  Sermon- Plans ^  which  you  defire  an 
account  of,  was  kept  without  much  order.     Hav- 
ing procured  a  proper  book  for  the  purpofe,  I 
divided  each  page  of  it  into  two  columns.    When 
any  text  of  Scripture  ftruck  me,  which  I  thought 
it  necelfary  to  preach  upon,  I  wrote  it  at  the  top 
of  the  page,  between  two  red  lines,  and  left  the 
whole  of  that  column,  to  add  a  diviiion,  thoughts, 
texts, anecdotes, 8cc.  that  occurred  in  thinking  of 
it,  and  in  the  courfe  of  my  reading.     And  then, 
wLen  I  was  at  a  lofs  for  a  text,  I  had  recourfe  to 
this   book.     In  reading  pradical  writers,  efpec- 
ially  Mr.  Henry's  Commentatory,  I  found  ma- 
ny texts,  and  plans  upon  them,  which  1  inferted 
there  ;  and  1  added  a  reference  to  the  authors,  if 
the  books  were  my  own,  where  I  might  find  fome 
illuilration  of  them  :  if  the  book  belonged  to 
fome  other  perfon,  1  then  traafcribed  the  hints 
into  the  book  of  plans.  I  was 


Let.  i^.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       51 

I  was  much  concerned  to  hear  of  the  death  of 
Mr.  Lev E,* Dr. Stonhouse's Curate  at  Brijloly 
which  is  a  great  and  irreparable  lofs  to  the  Da6lor 
and  to  the  church,  as  he  was  an  admirable  preach- 
er.   Confidering  his  truly  ferious,  and  at  the  fame 
time  his  rational   and  catholic  dilpofition,  his 
removal,  efpecially  in  the  morning  of  his  days,  is 
very  much  to  be  regretted.     TheDodloris  deeply 
afFeded  with  the  event. f     What  a  different  fig- 
ure will  fuch  a  man  make  in  the  other  world  to 
thofe  Clergymen,  who  may  fill  up  fome  of  the 
higher  offices  of  the  church  ;  who,  perhaps  with 
much  learned  lumber  in  their  heads,  negledt  their 
duty, devote  themfelves  to  luxury  and  dillipation, 
and  take  pains  to  leflen  the  credit,  influence  and 
ufefulnefs  of  thofe,  who  make  it  the  labour  and 
end  of  their  fives  to  fave  themfelves  and  thofe  that 
hear  them. 

I  defire  to  blefs  God,  that  my  fpirits  have  been 
tolerably  good  for  fome  weeks  pail,  though  not 

without 

*  Mr.  tovE  was  a  Fellow  of  Baliol  CoUege,  Oxford^  M:\ft3r  of  Arts, 
and  one  of  the  Minor  Canons,  of  B'ifiol  Cathedral.  Hs  w?.s  Curate 
to  Dr.  Stonhouse  for  foms  years,  when  he  was  LeButer  of  All  Suinn 
in  £if/ol,  and  died  Oftober  iSth,  1773.     Aged  29. 

f  Dr.  Stonhovse  made  a  colle6lion  from  a  few  friends,  and  ereft- 
ed  a  very  elegant  Monume:it.  to  his  memory,  in  the  Cathedral  at 
Brijioly  and  prevailed  with  M;fs  HaxVNah  Moore  to  write  the  foi- 
)Owing  Epitaph. 

When  ivorthkfi  grandeur  fills  th'  embellifh'd  ura. 

No  poignant  grief  attends  the  fable  bierj 
But  when  difiingwJKd  excellence  we  mourn, 

Deep  is  the  fcrrow,   genuine  the  tear. 

Stranger  !  fhould'ft  thou  approach  this  awful  fhrine, 

The  merit  of  the  honour'd  D^ad  to  feek. 
The  Friend,  the  Sou,  the  Ciiriftian,  tlie  Divine, 

Let  thofe  who  knew  him,  thofe  who  lov'd  him,  fpeak. 

Oh  !  let  them  in  fo,"ne  paufe  of  anguiih  fay 

What  zeal  infpir'd,  what  faith  enlarg'd  his  breaft  ^ 

How  foon  th'  unfetter'd  fpirit  winj'd  it's  way 
From  earth  to  heaven,  from  blelliag  to  be  bkft. 


52        Letters  tij  a  Yonng  Clergyman,      Let.  13 •. 

without  fome  depreifing  intervals.  I.  am  feldomr 
free  from  pain,  but  I  would  be  thankful  that  it  is 
not  violent.  May  God  enable  you  to  improve 
health  and  vigour  while  it  continues,  that  you 
may  have  comfortable  reflexions  and  agree- 
able profpefts,  when  the  days  of  darknefs  come 
upon  you,  which  may  be  many.  Continue  your 
good  wifhes  and  prayers  for,  dear  Sir, 
Your  altedtionaie  friend,  and  faithful  fervant, 

Job  Orton, 


L  E.T  T  E  R       Xlll. 

Dec.  2^5  1773-. 
Dear  Sir, 

XT  gives  me  pleafure  to  find  that  Dri. 
Stonhouse's  Pravers,'*  and  his  little  TraSi  on 
the  Sacrament^^  meet  with  fuch  encouragements, 
and  I  hope  they  will  do  much  good.  I  wifli  by 
your  public  and  private  addrefies,  you  may  be  able 
to  lead  your  parifliioners  and  neighbours  to  the 
daily  ferious  ufe  of  the  prayers.  And  as  the  Doc- 
tor hath  fent  fome  of  them  for  you  to  diftribute 
to  every  houfe  in  his  parifli,  it  will  afford  you  a 
favourable  opportunity,  when  you  gi^'e  them  the 
books,  of  talking  ferioufly  and  clofely  to  them 
on  the  fubjedl  ;  and  in  your  future  vifits  of  re- 
newing the  difcourfe,  by  inquiring  what  ufe  they 

have 

*  Prayers  for  the  ufe  of  private  Perfons,  Families,  Children,  and 
Servants.  The  twelfth  edition,  price  four  pence.  This  book,  is  ia 
tl;e  Society's  Catalogue  for  promoting  Chriflian  Knowledge. 

f  A  Shoit  Explanation  of  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supiver.. 
The  eighth  edition,  price  three  pence. 


Let.  13.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       53 

have  made  of  them.  But  there  is  danger  of  tlieir 
refting  in  the  mere  form,  the  opus  operattm^  juft 
in  reading  the  prayers,  without  due  ferioufnefs 
and  Iblemnity,  and  taking  pains  to  imprels  the 
fentiments,  and  excite  the  defires  they  contain, 
in  the  heart..  I  fear  we  all  fail  in  this  refpeft, 
and  whether  we  pray  with  or  without  a  book,  we 
do  not  feel  the  good  fentiments  we  utter,  nor 
warmly  defire  the  bleffmgs  we  aik.^  At  leaft'I 
find  it  fo  with  myfelf,  and  fear  it  is  fo  with  others, 
elfe  I  think  their  prayers  would  have  a  vifibly  bet- 
ter eflecl  on  their  tempers  and  lives,  as  ail  fincere 
prayers  are  certainly  adapted  to  have,  as  v/ell  as 
to  engage  divine  afTiftance.  1  hope  you  will  find 
the  good  effe£l  of  your  addreffes  to  your  people 
on  this  fubjed.  It  affords  me  great  pleafure  to 
hear  of  the  intereft  you  have  in  their  efteem  and 
affedion.  No  good  can  be  done  by  a  Minifter, 
until  that  point  is  in  fome  meafure  gained,  and 
then,  he  may  hope  to  draw  them  with  the  cords 
of  love.  Hof.  xi.  4.  It  is  not  to  be  expeded  in 
the  nature  of  things,  that  men  fhould  become 
quite  good  all  at  once.  Various  methods  mufh 
be  tried,  and  long  patience  exercifed  -,  efpecially 
with  thofe  who  are  grofsly  ignorant,  or  have  in^ 
dul2:ed  themfelves  in  long  habits  of  fin,  ne2;h- 
gence,  or  formality.  You  fee  how  your  farmers 
manage  the  ground,  which  they  till  ;  what  va- 
rious methods  they  take,  fuited  to  the  different 
foils — what  repeated  trials — how  long  they  wait. ' 
This  will  bothinftrudl  and  encourage  you  in  your 
E  2  fpirJtuai 

*  Confider  well  each  petition  a«  you  offer  it  up  ;  and  if  you  have 
not  been  fufficiently  attentive  to  it,  repeat  it  again  and  again  until  youi- 
heart  accompanies  the  word.  See  Dr.  SxawHousE's  Eveiry  >I»fl'S 
Afliliaot;  page  a  §  j»    Second  cUiiion,  price  tbieQ  ftuUings, 


54       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  ij. 

fpiritual  hufoandry.     And  you  need  not  be  in- 
formed who  gives  both  the  common  and  fpiritual 
farmer  the  increafe.     But  after  all,  there  is  very 
little  hope  of  doing  any  good  upon  old  fmners,  ef- 
pecially  formallfts.'*     You  will  therefore   bend 
your  prinxipal  attention  to  the  rijing  generation, 
where  you  will  find  the  heart  more  impreflible. 
Be  prudently  familiar  with  them.     Give  them  a 
fhort  hint  whenever  you  fee  them  in  an  eafy,plea- 
fant  path,  without  the  fonnality  of  afolemn  ad- 
drefs.     1  know  by  experience,  that  fuch  hints  WA\ 
often  abide  and  do  good,  while  a  direcl,  long, 
though  ferioiis   addrejs^    will  not    be    regarded. 
You  will  be  more  likely  to  be  ufeful  to  them, 
as  b<./mg  young  3'ourrelf.     For  young  people  are 
ready  to  fuppofe,  that  aged  Miniflers  warn  and 
caution  them    againil:    m.any  indulgencies  and 
follies,  becaufe  they  are  grown  paft  a  capacity 
of   rellihing  them  themjehes..      This   makes  it 
very  defirable  that  young    'D\\\r\t%  fhould   take 
particular  pains  \^{\\\\ youth.     It  will  require  fome 
care  and  prudence  to  keep  up  the  dignity  of  your 
flation  and  charader  amidd:  fuch  methods  of  ad- 
dreffing  to  youth.     But  it  requires  lefs  in  your 
■  fituation,  than  if  you  had  young  gentlemen  and 
ladies  to  deal  with.     You  never  will  forget  the 
exhortation,  "  Feed  my  lambs."    John  xxi.  15. 
I  am  obliged   to  you  for  your  extrad  from 
the  preface  to  Orr's  Sermons. -j-    It  iliews  an  ex- 
cellent 

*  Jer.  xiii.  23. 

\  The  pafiTage  refened  to  above  is  as  follows. — "  As  the  Author 
hath  now  get  into  a  perioil  of  life,  and  ftate  of  health  which  will  not. 
permit  of  his  being  much  more  ufeful,  nor  probably  of  his  continuing 
much  longer  in  the  prefent  fcene  ;  he  thanketh  God,  that  under  in- 
cre;4fing  inlinnities  of  body,  and  an  apprcbenfioa  of  his  approaching 

diflloltttiQr.,, 


Let.  13.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       5.5 

cellent  fpirit,  and  very  much  fuits  my  own  cafe. 
Whether  I  have  been  the  infbrument  of  much 
good  I  knov/  not.  I  have  not  fee n  thofe  good  ef- 
feds  of  my  miniflry,  which  fome  Minifters  have 
Wiad,  at  leafh  in  the  converfion  of  finners.  There^ 
were/^w,  \1  any^  of  my  congregation,  who  were, 
profligate  and  abandoned ;  and  whofe  converfion,, 
when  that  happens,  is  very  remarkable,  and  en- 
gages much  attention.  I  hope  many  aged  perfons 
have  been  edified  by  my  fervices,  and  not  a  fexv 
young  people  trained  up  in  fentiraents  of  wiidom 
and  piety  ;  who  are  now  ufefui  in  their  families 
and  ftations,  and  ornaments  to  religion.  Indeed, 
I  lay  very  little  (Irefs  upon  what  fome  Divines  call 
converfiom\  I.  have  feen  fo  many  inilances  of  their 
coming  to  nothing  ;  or,  that  their  converts  have 
only  been  converted  from  the  fins  of  men  io  the 
fins  of  devils,  from  drunkennefs  and  debauchery 
to  fpiritual  pride,  bitternefs  and  uncharitablenefs; 
and  this  I  cannot  call  afaving  change.  I  fee  Ut- 
ile alteration  for  the  better  intheconduifl  oimany^ 
who  have  httn [aid.  to  be  converted.  I  am  cau- 
tious of  calling  any  thing  by  that  name,  where 
there  is  not  a  regular,  confident  conduct  follow- 
ing 

diflblution,he  poireffeta  his  foul  in,  patience  and  ferenity,  and  hath  the 
mofl  fmcere  cojifolatiou  and  joy,  from  a  refle<5tioa  on  his  having  la- 
boured for  by  far  the  greater  part  of  his  hfe,  with  at  lean  aa  honeit 
zeal  and  alFiduityj  in  the  fcrvice  cf  religion.  He  cannot,  indeed,  flat- 
ter himfelf  with  the  thoughts  of  having  been  actually  tlie  author  of 
much  good,  by  all  his  pains  and  diligence  ;  but  of  a  hearty  good-will 
to  the  beft  pf  caufes,  and  f)f  well-meant  endeavours  to  have  le.  ved 
and  promoted  it,  he  is  fully  confcious.  And  upon  this  foundation, 
notwithilanding  his  defe6ls  and  failings,  of  \vhichhe  is  very  fenfibie, 
and  wliich  are  the  matter  of  his  unfeigned  liuniiliation  and  mourning, 
he  prefumeth  to  look  up,  with  an  humble  hope,  to  the  Supreme  Judge 
of  his  condudl,  and  Arbiter  of  his  fate  ;  waiting  for  his  mercy,  through 
Jefus  Chrift,  unto  eternal  life.  Amen''  Preface  to  the  Sermons  of 
"the  late  Rev.  John  Orr,  D.  D.  Archdeacon  of  Fern%^  in  2  Voii. 
Prepared  for  tue  prefs  by  the  Author,    Printed  for  Cai>£1.i-.  1772, 


56       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  13* 

ing  It.  Hafty  ImprefTions,  which  fome  Minifters 
are  very  ready  to  obferve  and  admire,  are  often 
loft  in  a  little  time,  and  thoie  who  have  been  un- 
der them  become  worfe  than  they  were  before. 
1  have  no  idea  of  converfion,  as  pading  a  certain 
line,  and  then  getting  into  a  faving  ftate.  Con- 
verfion  is  a  zvork  of  ttme^  and  I  fee  no  right  we 
have  to  fay  any  are  converted  or  become  good, 
until  one  hath  a  longer  feafon  of  trial,  to  obferve 
whether  they  continue  ftedfaft  in  the  ]:)radice  of 
righteoufnefs,  and  ad:  in  every  circumltance  and 
relation,  in  the  main,coniiftent  with  the  demands 
of  the  Gofpeh  I  wi(h  you  may  have  the  pleaf- 
ure  to  fee  many  fuch  converts. 

I  thank  you  llkewife  for  your  hint  about  Mr. 
Thomas,  in  the  account  given  of  him  byCALA- 
MY.  I  have  read  it  often,  and  tranfcribed  fome- 
palTages  from  it  into  the  blank  leaf  of  the  Bible> 
which  always  lies  upon  my  deik,  particularly  the 
following.  "  Si  non  concedatur  ut  prieco  {vax 
publicus,  lira  tamen  operarius  :  quod  publice 
non  pollum,  faciam,  [ut  licet,  valet]  privatim. 
Quod  non  poffum  pra^dicando,  preftem  fcriben- 
do.  Auxiliare,  Domine,  fervum  fenilem."  Mr. 
Thomas  was  an  excellent  man,  3'et  Mr. Nelson 
in  his  life  of  Bilhop  Bull,  who  fpent  fome  time 
in  Thomas's  family,  infinuates  that  the  Bifliop 
had  no  advantage  there.  Such  was  that  good 
man's  bigotry. 

If  you  have  not  gotten  the  Abridgment  of  B  a  x- 
ter's  faints  Reft,  by  Mr.  Favv^cett,  of  this 
town,  pray  get  it ;  as  I  think  it  a  very  good 
pradical  book,  and  may  be  uleful  to  lend  to  yoyr 
pariihioners.    I  revifed  the  manufcipt,  compared 

it. 


Let.  13.      LetUrs  io  a  Young  Clergyman,       57 

it  with  the  original,  added,  altered,  and  left  out,, 
and  have  the  vanity  to  think  I  improved  it  j. 
though  I  wiflinow  I  had  made  more  alterations 
in  the  phrafeology.  Baxter  (notwithftanding 
what  you  may  have  heard  to  the  contrary)  was  fo 
far  from  being  a  republican,  that  he  refufed  the 
engagemiCnt ;  oppofed  C r  o  m  w  e  l  l's  meafures 
and  his  party,  and  told:  him  to  his  face,  that 
"They  (meaning  the  foberer  Prefbyterians) 
efteemed  their  kingly  government  a  blefiing,  and* 
knew  not  what  they  had  done  to  forfeit  it." 
To  which  Cromwell  anfwered,  "  God  hath 
changed  it,  as  he  pleafed." 

.1.  know  how  to  pity  you  In  your  dull  litu- 
ation  ;  as  mine  is  altogether,  or  nearly,  as  dull 
as  your  own,  efpecially  this  winter  feafon.  I  am 
moftly  confined  to  the  houfe,  have  very  little 
company,  and  on  fome  bad  days,  hardly  fee  the 
human  face  divine.  But  I  can  take  pleafure  in 
my  good  books.  I  converfe  moftly  with  the 
dead,  and  that  is  the  fitted  converfe  for  one,  vvho 
is  in  a  manner  buried  alive,  and  is  literally  near 
the  grave.  I  wiili  to  gdlm  fpiritual  good  by  this 
converfe,  and  to  grow  more  "meet  for  an  inherit- 
ance among  the  faints  in  light/'  I  fhould  vaftly 
prefer  Cheverel  to  the  baflle,  hurries,  luxury,  and 
diffipation  of  the  city  you  have  been  lately  vifit- 
ing.  An  aged  Minider  who  ufed  to  go  from  his 
country  obfcurity,  once  a  year,  to  vifit  fome  re- 
lations in  London,  would  never  (lay  above  two 
o-r  three  days  with  them  ;  and  when  folicited  to 
prolong  his  vifit,  ufed  to  fay,  "  No,  I'll  go  to 
my  country  retirement ;  for  you  are  all  mad — ^ 
mad  upon,  the,  world  and  pleafure." 

I  ani 


5$       Letters  to  a  Yoimg  Clergyman.      Let.  14. 

I  am  much  obliged  by  your  devout  remem- 
brance of  me,  and  beg  the  continuance  of  it. 
My  fpirits  are  fo  weak  and  broken,  that  my  bed 
duties  are  extremely  languid  and  defedive.  I 
rejoice  in  the  merciful  Advocate,  whom  the  Fa- 
ther heareth  always. 

1  am,  dear  Sir,  your  affeclionate  and  faithful 
friend,  and  humble  fervant, 
Job  Orton. 


LETTER      XIV. 

April  1^,  1774. 
Dear  Sir, 

X  HAVE  long  been  fo  very  weak  and 
low,  that  I  have  had  neither  ftrength  nor  fpirits 
to  write  any  thing,  but  what  was  abfolutely  nec- 
effary.  I  blefs  God  I  am  at  prefent  a  little  re- 
cruited. My  fpirits  have  been  better,  but  my 
ftrength  is  ftill  very  fmall,  and  I  am  fearful  of  ap- 
plying to  any  bufinefs,  or  even  fitting  down  to 
write,  left  it  Ihould  throw  me  back  again  into 
weaknefs  and  nervous  complaints.  However,  I 
mud  venture  to  fend  you  a  few  lines  ;  the  con- 
fufion  and  interruption  with  which  they  are  writ- 
ten may  not  make  them  lefs  acceptable  to  you. 
My  fpirits  have  been  greatly  depreifed,  and  a  con- 
ftant,  painful  fenfation  in  every  nerve  and  fibre 
hath  wafted  my  flellj,  and  filled  my  mind  with 
fenfations  exquifitcly  more  painful  than  thofe  of 
the  body.  I  thank  God,  I  have  this  laft  week 
been  more  comfortable,  have  got  fome  refrefhing 

ileep. 


Let.  14.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       ^^ 

ileep,  and  am  more  eafy  and  cheerful,  though  I 
ftill  find  myfelf  very  weak,  and  unfit  for  any  ac- 
tive fervice,  much  lefs  for  any  thing  Hke  fludy. 
I  define  to  be  fome  way  or  other  ferving  and  glo- 
rifying God,  but  how  this  can  be  done  in  fuch 
clrcumftances  as  mine,  at  leaft  by  me,  it  is  not 
eafy  to  fay.  But  Providence  hath  wife  and  gra- 
cious ends  to  anfwer  by  our  afQidlions,  even  thofe 
which  incapacitate  us  for  thofe  fervices  to  which 
we  are  ftrongly  inclined,  and  for  which  we  have 
fome  proper  quaHfications.  We  are  often,  and 
indeed  aim  oft  always,  at  a  lofs,  when  v/e  fet  our- 
felves  to  judge  of  the  reafons  of  the  divine  con- 
duct. Our  duty  is  fubmilHon  :  *  but  that  is 
not  eafy  to  be  prad:ifed,  nor  can  it  be  maintain- 
ed as  it  ought  to  be,  without  afupp/y  of  the  Spirit 
of  Jefus  Ckrifi,  which  I  wifh  may  be  more  abund- 
antly fhed  abroad  into  our  hearts.  You  need  it 
very  much  in  your  miniflerial  capacity  ;  and  con- 
fidering  that  ftation  in  which  Providence  hath 
fixed  you,  to  quicken  you  to  the  duties  of  it, 
and  to  reconcile  you  to  its  inconveniences  and 
difagreeable  circumflances;  which  1  Ihould  think 
would  be  eafily  borne  by  a  good  man,  who  hath 
health  and  fpirits,  and  form.s  a  juft  eftimate  of 
the  worth  of  fouls,  the  great  bufinefs  of  life,  and 
the  duties  of  the  minifterial  ofHce. 

1  have  juft  been  reading  a  volume  of  fermons 
written  by  a  Dr.  Hopkin^s,  formerly  a  Preben- 
dary 

*  I  wifli  to  be  cor.teat,  as  a  p.itient,  waiting  fervant.  St.  Paul 
ftyles  himfelf,  a  fervant,  a  miniftcr,  and  an  apoftle  of  Chrift,  while 
in  f>riJon.  I  have  lately  been  comforted  with  this  paffage  from  an  old 
writer,  "  One  adl  of  fiient  fubmillion,  and  a  quiet  application  to  thofe 
duties,  which  are  immediately  neceiTary,  though  neither  eafy  nor  hon- 
ourable, is  of  much  more  value  than  a  long  train  of  adtivity  and  zeal 
in  a  public  and  vifible  fphere  of  adlion,  fweetened  by  reputation  and 
appiaufe."     Nov.  49,  1781. 


6o      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       Let.  140 

dary  of  Worcefter^  publiflied  by  the  famous  Dr. 
Hicks.  In  feme  account  of  his  life  prefixed  to 
it,  he  obferves,  "  That  he  went  every  Saturday 
fourteen  long  dirty  miles  from  Worcefier  to  a 
fmall  country  parifli,  believing  that  Chrift  paid 
the  fame  price  for  the  poor  as  the  rich,  the  cot- 
tager and  the  courtier,  and  that  a  faithful  Paflor, 
who  truly  endeavoured  to  fave  the  foul  of  the 
meaneft  plough  man,  would  have  as  great  a  reward 
from  his  Mailer,  as  he  that  laboured  to  convert 
the  greatefl  emperor  in  the  world."  He  would 
fay,  "  That  a  Prieft  wa3  not  to  value  his  parifh 
for  the  revenue  or  the  quality  of  the  people  in  it, 
but  purely  as  a  cure  of  fouls,  as  a  vineyard,  in 
which  he  was  God's  hufbandman  :  that  as  large 
and  as  acceptable  a  return  of  his  labours  might  be 
made  from  a  country-cure,  as  from  a  parifli  in  a 
royal  city, and  that  a  good  fermon,by  God's  blef- 
iing,  would  be  the  power  of  God  to  falvation  in 
a  church,  where  there  was  not  a  fword  or  a  dia- 
mond to  be  feen,as  where  coaches  crowded  about 
the  church  door." 

I  wifh  *  *  *  *  *  *'s  infertions  in  the  newfpapers 
from  my  Letters  may  be  of  fervice  to  the  readers. 
We  do  not  know  what  good  we  do.  A  young 
phyfician  of  confiderable  reputation  and  fortune 
(Dr.  Bostock)  died  lately  at  Liverpool oi  "^  vio- 
lent fever.  A  little  before  his  death,  he  told  the 
Minifter  who  attended  him,  and  who  is  a  friend 
of  mine,  that  he  had  received  great  and  lading 
benefit  in  his  religious  interefts,  by  reading  fome 
letters  of  rhine,  to  my  nephew,  when  they  were 
fellow-pupils  together  at  the  academy.  1  had  no 
idea,  that  he  or  any  one  elfe  had  feen  fuch  letters. 

But 


Let.  14.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clerzyman.       61 

But  I  am  thankful  he  did,  fince  they  were  attend- 
ed with  fuch  an  happy  efTed. 

1  am  truly  concerned,  that  you  have  under 
your  paftoral  care  any  flagrantly  difobedient  to 
the  laws  of  Chrift.  But  what  yi\m?i<.ix  hath  not 
fuch  under  his  care  ?  There  was  a  traitor  inChrift's 
'family.  Young  MInifters  are  apt  to  fet  out  with 
expectations  raifed  too  high,  and  expedl  more  en- 
couragement and  fuccefs  than  they  are  ever  likely 
to  find.  "  Old  Adam  will  be  too  hard  for  young 
Melanctkon,"  as  that  venerable  reformer 
complained,  after  he  had  been fome  time  a  preach- 
er, and  had  great  expedation  from  his  zealous 
miniflry. 

I  hope  you  will  have  fome  very  comfortable 
and  improving  weeks  with  the  Dodor  and  his 
family,  during  his  refidence  at  Cheverel,  which 
you  muft  fet  againfl  many  uncomfortable  and 
dreary  ones  in  the  winter.  I  willi  the  Dodor 
w^ould  ride  on  horfe-back  every  dry  day,  as  I  do. 
Recipe  cab allam,  is  his  befb  prefcription.  Surely 
he  might  meet  with  fome  gentle,  eafy  horfe,  no 
matter  how  ill-lliaped  and  ugly,  that  might  carry 
him  fafely  about  the  fields  of  Cheverel.  I  remem- 
ber an  aged  gouty  Minifter,  who  could  not  walk; 
and  having  a  large  garden,  he  ufed  to  ride  often 
round  it  in  a  day  upon  an  old  fteady  horfe,  who 
ufed  to  count  his  rounds  for  him  ;  and  then, 
when  he  had  completed  them,  would  flop  and 
proceed  no  further,  though  the  rider  tried  every 
perfuafion  and  pungent  argument  to  excite  him. 
I  heartily  wifli  and  pray  for  his  health  and  con- 
tinual uiefulnefs. 

F  Continue 


6i       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergy  man ,      Let.  15, 

Continue  your  good  willies  and  prayers  for  me. 
I  want  more  clearnefs  and  fatisfadion  as  to  the 
great  concern.  My  pra\^ers  are  fo  broken,  and 
attended  with  fo  much  difiradlion  and  imperti- 
nence, that  they  are  uncomfortable  to  myfelf, 
and  can  hardly  be  acceptable,  even  with  ail  the 
gracious  allowance  of  the  Gofpel.  But  I  do  not 
love  to  trouble  my  friends  with  my  complaints, 
any  further  than  to  delire  and  dired:  their  pe- 
titions. Yours  afTedionately, 

Job  Orton. 

Pray  prevent  your  friend  Mr.  *  *  from  buy- 
ing me  any  of  the  caftor-oii  he  fpoke  of,  as  I  have 
met  with  fonie  in  .this  town,  and  have  laid  in 
a  good  fcock  of  it.  This  is  fomething  like 
HoBBEs,  with  his  new  frieze-coat  at  ninety-fix. 
"  This,  faid  he,  will  lafh  me  three  5^ears  ;  then  I 
w^ill  have  jufh  fuch  another."  But  I  am  no 
Hobb'^ft, 


LETTER       XV. 

July  22,  1774. 
Dear  Sir, 

1  AM  very  glad  to  hear,  that  you 
are  getting  upon  a  'plan  of  economy.  You  will 
find  great  comfort  and  benefit  by  attending  to 
it  diligently  and  daily,  and  making  the  errors  of 
one  day  and  w^eek  a  check  upon  the  expenfes  ot 
the  next.  A  man  muil  deny  liimfelf  many  agree- 
able circumftances  and  indulgencies,  if  he  would 
keep  within  the  compais  of  a  moderate  income, 

efpecially 


Let.  15.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       63 

efpecially  if  he  would  fave  fomethlng,  as  all  young 
men,  particularly  fingle  men,   ought  to  do.     I 
think  no  man  living  ought  to  fpend  the  whole  of 
his  income,  but  make  fome  provifion  yearly  for 
contingent  and  necelTary  expenfes.     In  this  view, 
I  have  found  it  abfolutely  neceflary  to  avoid  tak- 
ing fome  journies,   buying  Ibme  books,  or  par- 
ticularly expenfive   cloaths,  which    otherwife   I 
fhould  have  liked.     An  error  on  i\\Q  faving  fide 
is  by  far  the  bed,  as  being  moft  for  a  man's  (ef- 
pecially a  Clergyman's)  reputation,  intereft,  and 
ufefulnefs.     Befides,  minds  form.ed  to  a  benevo- 
lent turn,  and  which  are  ready  to  pity,  aflift,  and 
relieve  the  diftreifed,  will  be  often,  without  the 
utmoft  frugahty,  brought  into  a  very  difagreea- 
ble  fituation  ;    either  to  withhold  their  charity, 
and  thereby  hurt  their  judgment  and  inclination, 
or  to  leave  fome  debts  unpaid  beyond  the  proper 
time,  or  to  folicit  their  income  before  it  is  due  ; 
either  of  which  will  be  very  injurious  to  their 
credit  and  character,  and  the  acceptance  and  fuc- 
cefs  of  their  miniflry.     Confidering  your  natu- 
ral difpofition,  you  ought  to  read  Watkinson 
on  economy,    (price  four-pence)   at    leaft  once  a 
quarter, until  you  have  not  only  imbibed  his  max- 
ims,  but  brought  yourfelf  to  an  habit  of  ading 
upon  them,   and  never  for  a  fmgle  inftance,  or 
in  the  value  of  a  penny,  fvverving  from  them. 
There  will  be  another  great  advantage  in  your 
cafe  attending  this.     It  will  habituate  you  to 
forefight,  a  care  to  remember,  and  confider,  and 
calculate  times  and  expenfes,   efpecially  before 
you  go  from  home.     It  will  difpofe  and  habitu- 
ate you  to  get  your  fermons  ready  in  time  5  and. 

in 


64       Letters  to  a  Young  Ciergyman.      Let.  15. 

in  fliort,  have  a  mod  happ)^  influence  on  your 
health,  fortune,  and  reputation.  That  remark 
hath  been  fealed  by  the  ruin  of  thoufands  for 
both  worlds,  He  that  defpifeth  fmall  things,  JJiall 
fall  by  little  and  little.  (F.ccles.  xix.  i.)  I  hope 
you  will  excufe  the  freedom  with  which  I  write 
to  you  upon  this  fubjed,  as  your  comfort  and 
ufefuhiefs  lie  near  my  heart. 

I  fliall,  I  believe,  read  no  more  of  the  contro- 
verfy  your  letter  fpeaks  of;  as  I  am  tired  with 
fuch  idle  and  endiefs  debates.  Baxter  faid  in 
his  old  age,  "  I  have  done  v/ith  thefe  debates  and 
fpeculations.  The  Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
and  the  Ten  Commandments  content  me,  and 
are  my  daily  meat  and  drink,  and  have  been 
fo  to  many  other  aged  Divines  and  Chriftians.'* 
But  thefe  controverfies  are  no  new  things ;  they 
are  as  old  as  Chriftianity,  and  were  foretold  in  it  ^ 
and  therefore  fliould  be  no  flu mbling- block  to 
any.  The  things  fo  much  difputed  about  are 
not  and  cannot  be  fundamentals.  Let  Minif- 
ters  dwell  upon  the  plain  things  of  the  Gofpel  : 
and  preach  indifputable  dodrines  pradically, 
and  moral  duties  evangelically. 

1  fhall  be  glad  to  fee  Dr.STONHOusE's  Hints 
to  a  Curate  ;^  and  wifli  they  may  do  much  good. 

I  blefs  God,  I  have  been  in  better  fpirits  for 
the  laft  fortnight,  and  been  able  pretty  nearly 

to 

*  This  ufeful  treatife  was  firft  publifhed  in  T774>  when  the  Edi- 
tor of  thefe  Letters  was  the  Doctor's  curate.  Second  edition,  price 
fix-pence.  An  eminent  Dignitary  fpeaks  of  it  in  the  following  man- 
ner. "  It  is  as  feafonable  and  ufeful  a  thing  as  any  the  Do(5tor  ever 
pubUfhed.  And  though  much  of  his  plan  may  be  impradlicable  in 
large  pariflies,  yet  many  of  the  hints  may  be  well  adopted  in  all  places : 
and  the  Clergy  in  general  have  all  fomething  to  learn  from  it."  One 
pf  Qur  prefent  Bifli^jps  ^ivts  t'.iis  to  every  one  whom  he  ordainSi 


Let.  15.       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.        65 

to  balance  accounts  with  my  correfpondents, 
and  to  do  a  little  in  revifing  forne  fermons,  which 
I  mean  to  publifh.  Bat  I  cannot  do  much 
at  a  time.  Many  hours,  and  fome  whole  days, 
I  am  quite  laid  afideas  ufelefs,  and  often  in  great 
pain  and  weaknefs.  But  having  obtained  help 
of  God,  I  continue  to  this  day  ;  and  bleiTcd  be  his 
name, have  fomeintervakof  eafe  and  cheerfulnefs, 
which  I  hope  are  employed  to  fome  valuable  pur- 
pofes.  But  notwithftanding  all  this  favourable 
difcipline,  and  this  mixture  of  mercies  and  afflic- 
tions, which  1  have  experienced  for  fo  many  years, 
I  find  very  little  improvement  in  the  divine  life. 
I  feel  much  languor  and  deadnefs  at  thof^  feafons, 
and  in  thofe  circumftances,  v;hen  I  ought  to  be 
moft  ferious,  lively,  and  attentive,  and  .cannot 
raife  my  groveling  heart  to  that  fpirituality  and 
heavenly  mindednefs,  which  is  fodefirable  for  one 
who  is  on  the  borders  of  the  grave.  My  thoughts 
cling  too  much  to  earth, empty  as  it  is,  and  to  this 
body,  from  which  I  have  fuffered,  and  am  daily 
fufFering,  fo  much  pain  and  uneafinefs.  I  enter- 
tain myfeif  in  reading  my  good  old  books,  in. 
which  there  is  a  favour  and  a  fuitablenefs  to  my 
cafe,  which  I  find  in  few  modern  ones.  1  have 
been  reading  for  a  fifth  or  fixth  time  Dr.  Lu- 
cas's Liquiry  after  Happinefs^  and  his  other  pieces, 
which  always  afford  me  new  pleafure.  I  pray 
God  to  alTift  and  profper  you  in  ail  your  under- 
takings for  his  glory,  and  the  edification  of  the 
church,  and  beg  the  continuance  of  your  prayers 
for  me  that  I  may  be  doing  fome  little  good, 
while  I  am  continued  here,  and  be  growing  more 
and  naore  meet  for  a  nobler  fphere  offervke,whea 
pr  z  m 


66      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       Let.  i6. 

my  Mafter  calls  me  hence.     I  am  always  glad  to 
hear  from  you,  and  am,  dear  Sir, 

Your  affcdtionate  and  faithful  friend, 
and  humble  fervant, 
Job  Orton. 

LETTER       XVI. 

Jan.  14,  1775. 
Dear  Sir, 

jr\.T  thhfeafon  of  the  year ^  \t  is  ufual 
for  all  wife  and  prudent  people  to  fettle  their  ac- 
counts, to  pay  their  debts,  and  to  leave  none  out- 
flanding.  But  it  is  the  unhappy  cafe  of  fome, 
who  bear  an  honed  mind,  and  are  willing  to  be 
out  of  debt,  not  to  be  able  to  be  fo.  This  is  at 
prefent,  and  is  often,  my  own  cafe  with  regard  to 
my  epiftolary  correfpondents.  Not  for  want  of 
an  honed  mind,  or  a  real  afFedion  to  my  friends, 
but  through  inability.  I  have  long  been  a  bank- 
rupt in  my  health,  drength  and  f})irits,  and  m.ud 
throw  myfelf  upon  the  compaQlon  and  kmd- 
nefs  of  my  friends  to  bear  with  me  and  excufe  me, 
and  I  hope  they  are,  and  will  be  wihing,  to  accept 
of  a  compofition,  and  to  take  a  part  of  what  I 
owe  to  their  friendfhip  in  lieu  of  the  whole.  I 
have  no  reafon  to  fuppofe,  that  you  in  p)articular 
will  be  an  unmerciful  creditor,  and  therefore  mud 
beg  your.acceptance  of  afmall  compofition  for  two 
or  three  very  friendly  letters,  for  which  1  am  in- 
debted to  you.  It  is  fo  painful  and  injurious  to  me 
in  general  to  write,  and  there  are  fo  few  intervals, 

io 


Let.  1 6.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       6^ 

in  which  I  can  mufter  up  a  little  ftrength  and  a 
few  fpirits  to  write  to  my  friends,  that  I  need  great 
candour  and  indulgence  from  them.  Nor  is  it  fo 
eafy  on  other  accounts  to  me  to  write  as  it  was 
formerly  :  in  all  XQ^^QCks^nonfum  qualis  eram.  But 
I  hope  all  my  friends  are  endeavouring  to  refem- 
ble  our  common  Father  and  Friend,  who  accepts 
according  to  what  a  man  hath,  and  not  accord- 
ino;  to  what  he  hath  not ;  who  confiders  our 
frame,  and  makes  gracious  allowances  for  our 
infirmities. 

I  am  forry  for  the  trouble  and  vexation  you 
have  had,  and  are  likely  to  have,  with  your  eccen- 
tric fingers.  They  are  in  general  conceited,  trou- 
blefome  fellows,  and  have  no  more  religion  than 
an  organ  or  a  fiddle.  And  I  wifh  the  Do6lor, 
when  he  comes  to  you,  may  be  able  to  bring  them 
to  order.  But  fleadinefs  and  not  yielding  to 
them,  is  the  only  way  to  humble  them.  Tu  ne 
c-ede  malis  5  fed  contra  audentior  ito. 

I  would  propofe  in  the  mean  time,  that  you  talk 
calmly  and  feriouily  to  them/^/)^r^/^/r,and  endea- 
vour to  give  them  better  notions  than  they  have, 
of  the  nature  and  deftgn  of  pfalmody  ;  and  partic- 
ularly urge  upon  their  coniciences  a  reverence/br 
the  prefence  of  God ;  and  how  affronting  it  muft  be 
to  him  to  have  the  church  turned  into  <^  theatre, 
and  divine  worfnip  into  a  farce.  I  know  nothing 
more  likely  to  ihaine  and  reform  them.* 

The 

*  All  perfous  (fays  Archbifhop  Secker  in  his  fecond  cbar-e  to 
his  clergy)  who  are  by  nature  qualified,  ought  to  learn,  and  conftant- 
ly  join,  to  glorify  HuTi  that  made  them,  in  plalms  and  fpiritual  longs. 
This  was  the  praasce  of  the  early  Chnftians :  it  was  reftored  very 
juftly  at  the  reformation :  and  hath  declined  of  late,  within  moft  of 
4)ur  memories;  very  unhappily.    For  tjie  improvemeius  made  by  a 

few 


6S       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Lht.  i6. 

The  teftimonies  you  have  colleded  from  the 
life  of  Mr.  Philip  Henry,  the  writings  of  Mr. 
Howe,  and  thofe  of  others,  refpecfting  the  worth 
and  piety  of  the  anceftors  of  Mr.  fi***,  of 
Boreatton^  may  be  a  proper  prefent  for  the  young 
gentleman,  and  will,  I  hope,  be  of  fervice  to  him. 
To  which  you  may  add,  what  is  faid  of  the  fam- 
ily in  Mr.ToNG*s  Life  of  Mr.  Matthew  Hen- 
ry, and  in  Mr.  Henry's  funeral  fermons  for 
Dr.  Benion  and  Mr.  Tall  en ts,  who  were 
Miniflers  at  Shreivfiury.  There  is  a  dedicatioa 
in  one  of  the  volumes  ofCRADOCK's  Commenta- 
ry^ which  is  addrelfed  to  the  four  gentlemen,  who 
married  Lord  Paget's  daughters,  in  which  are 
feveral  curious  things ;  but  as  I  have  not  the  vol- 
ume by  me,  I  cannot  furnifh  you  with  them* 
The  Boreatton  family  hath  been  remarkable, 
through  many  generations, for  its  folid  worth  and 
ferious  piety. 

I  am  glad  you  faw  Lady  ****  at  Bath.  A 
fhort  interview  with  her  now  and  then,  when  you 
can  enjoy  it, in  paiTing,  without  appearing  to  force 
yourfelf  0:1  her  notice,  may  be  ferviceable  to  vou. 
But  you  have  lived  long  enough  in  the  world  al- 
ready, not  to  depend  upon  the  promifes  of  great 
people.  **  Surely  men  of  high  degree  are  a  lie/'  * 
is  as  true  now,  as  it  was  in  David's  time,  and  the 
inference  he  drew,  is  equally  wife  and  falutary, 
not  to  trull  in  them,  but  to  make  the  mod  hi^li 

God 

few  ill  church-mufic,  were  they  real  improvements,  will  feldom  eqiKtl 
tb-i  harmony  of  a  general  chorus  ;  m  vvb.ich  any  lelfer  diiroaances  are 
quite  loll  :  and  it  is  fomething  inexpreillbiy  elevating,  to  hear  the 
•v^lce  a  J  a  great  multituueyai  the  "voice  cj  many  ivaten  ani  'f  Jnighty  thun" 
c^is,  to  fpeak.  in  the  words  of  fcripture,w;ij//vg  a  jovful  noife  to  the  Cad 
fif  tJieir  falvatkn,  and  ftnging  Jiii  fraija  with  u/KierJinndhig, 

*  Jfalm  kii.  9. 


I^T.  1 6.       Letters  ro  a  Young  C/ergyman.        69. 

God  our  friend  and  refuge,  who  will  never  forfakc 
us.  I  can  fee  no  impropriety  in  your  making 
her  a  prefent  of  my  Sermons  io  tke  aged.  I  know 
not  whether  the  author's  being  a  difienter  would 
prejudice  her  againft  them.  But  this  I  know  af- 
furedly,  that  Sir  Tliomas  **^*  often  treated  the 
author  with  great  civiHty  and  refpect,  when  he 
was  in  his  company,  efpecially  about  thirty  ^^ars 
ago,  at  the  time  our  county  infirmary  was  iufb 
eftabliflied. 

The  death  of  Mifs  Watson  of  this  town,, 
was  a  very  fudden  and  awful  event.  It  was  occa- 
fioned  by  a  mortification  in  her  bowels,  brought 
on.,  as  is  fuppofed,  by  eating  too  m.any  raifins  on 
the  preceding  day.  The  family  were  greatly  af- 
feded,  but  bore  the  calamity  well.  It  fell  pecu- 
liarly heavy  on  a  young  gentleman  in  London^  of 
a  mod  amJable  temper  and  charader,  to  whom 
fhe  would  have  beei^i  married  in  a  few  months. 
He  came  down  to  the  funeral,  and  (hewed  much 
of  the  fpirit  of  a  Chriftian,  with  all  the  feehngs  of 
a  man,  and  the  tendernefs  of  a  lover.  I  wrote  to 
Dr.SroNHOUSEan  account  of  the  circumftances 
of  the  cafe,  addreiTed  to  his  daughter,  which  I  find. 
he  inferted  in  the  Brifhol  newfpaper  ;  which  if  it 
doth  good  it  is  well.  *  1  can. 

*  " — So  fpeedily  was  this  lovely  ilower  cut  down,  in  all  the  bloom 
of  health  aiKl  cheerfulnefs  ;  and  with  the  moll  agreeable  profpedls. 
before  her  !  So  foon  may  other  young  ladies  vanith  from  tlieir  pa- 
rents and  friends,  and  enter  upon  an  aiuful  eternity  :  So  foon  may 
ail  their  fchemes  and  views  for  this  world  be  blafted  at  once  !  Thoi'e 
who  are  unaffe£ied  with  fuch  an  inpuSlive  event  as  this,  or  can  be 
ioon  forgetful  of  it,  do  great  injury  to  their  own  judgment,  and  to  the  i 
good  education  they  have  had.  'Tis  to  be  hoped  this^friiing  and/wi/- 
ilen  removal  of  fo  young  a  perfon  into  the  other  world,  will  be  the 
means  of  caufmg  furvivors  to  ponder  on  it,  and  to  receive  infint^ion 
f wm  it ;  and  efpecially  to  tliink  now  and  then  on  that  important 
text,  fo  awfully  illuflrated  by  ^«/'iand  the  like  frequent  events,  (Prov. 
xxvii.  I.)  "  Boafl  not  thyfelf  of  tQ-irutrrovj  j  for  thou  knowelt  eQt 
Si^\  &  day  may  bring  ferth*"^ 


70       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  i6. 

I  can  read  very  little  thefe  fhort  dark  da^^s,  but 

I  (bnietlmes  entertain  myfelf  v/lth  fome  of  my 
good  old  authors.  Fuller^s  Holy  State  hath 
afforded  me  much  pleafure ;  in  which  there  are 
many  trifling  things,  but  fome  lively  remarks, 
and  abounds  with  hiftorical  anecdotes,  fome  of 
which  deferve  remembrance,  and  may  pertinent- 
ly be  introduced  into  fermons,  and  be  very  enter- 
taining and  ufeful.  He  deals  much  in  puns  and 
gingle,  but  was  a  man  of  vaft  reading.     He  pub- 

II  (bed  feveral  folios,  as  the  Holy  State,  his  Church 
Hijlory^  (a  large  valuable  folio)  and  another  en- 
titled, the  M'^orthies  of  England,  or  the  Hiftory  of 
eminent  men  in  the  feveral  counties  where  they 
were  born »    I  read  n  ot  long  ago ,  Sir  Matthew 
Hale's  Contemplations.     If  you  have  them  not, 
I  would  recommend  them  to  your  perufal.     The 
flyle  is  awkward  ;  but  they  are  full  of  excellent 
matter,  and  wou'd'furnifh  out  materials  for  ma- 
ny ufeful  fermons.     I  have  read  them  more  than 
once  or  twice  before,   but  never  obferved  their 
ufefulnefs  lb  much  in  this  view, as  lately.    Befides 
this,  there  is  a  variety  of  moft  excellent  Hints  of 
Advice,  concerning  a  man's  behaviour  in  every 
part  of  \\\'^focial  charader  ;  though  tliey  are  only- 
given  as  his  thoughts,  purpofes  and  refolutions, 
with  regard  to  his  own  perfonal  condudf .    He  is  a 
ftriking  inflance  of  the  truth  of  that  obfervation, 
which   cannot   be  too  often  inculcated,  or  too 
carefully  attended  to,  "  that  if  a  man  allows  him- 
felf  to  be  imprudent, giddy  and  inattentive  /;/  any 
me  infance,  though  it  be  in.itfelf/?;?^//  and  incon- 
fiderable,  it  v/ill  have  an  unhappy  influence  upon 

ills  %vhole  condu^  j  no  fixed  principle  keeps  him 

from 


Let.  1 6.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       jt 

from  being  fo  in  all  ot/ier  inftances,  and  had  he 
equal  t(^mpU\Uons,hQ  would  violate  a//  the  duties 
of  prudence,  and  by  degrees,  thole  of  morality 
and  religion  too."  It  is  therefore  peculiarly  nec- 
eflary,and  of  the  utmoft  importance,  that  perfons 
in  their  early  years  andfrjl  fetting  out  in  life,  keep 
a  refohite  watch  over  themfelves,  even  in  th^fmali' 
eft  inftances,  in  which  their  natural  temper  leads 
them  to  be  imprudent  and  indifcreet,  and  not 
neglect  \\{\%  import  ant  queftion,  before  they  under- 
take even  any  little  affair,  "  Is  it  right  and  fit,  pru- 
dent and  proper  /"  I  have  read  fomewhere  of  a 
faying  of  the  famous  Brut  us,  that  he  looked  up- 
on that  perfon  as  having  been  ill  educated,  or 
as  having  fpent  his  youth  very  badly,  who  had 
not  learned  to  fay  ''  NO"  boldly. 

1  am  thankful,  that  I  was  led  in  early  life 

to  read  fo  much  pra5iical  divinity,  and  the  lives 
and  hiftories  Osgood  men;  as  I  can  remember 
what  I  then  read  better  than  what  I  read  yefter- 
day,  which  is  the  cafe  wqth  moft  old  people,  ef- 
pecially  if  they  have  bodily  difeafes  added  to  the 
natural  decays  of  age.  I  have  fewer  and  (horter 
intervals  of  what  may  be  called  eafe  than  ufual, 
and  mud  exped  them  to  grow  fhorter.  I  am  a 
wonder  to  myfelf,  that  1  have  nved  to  fee  the  be- 
ginning of  another  year,  1  cannot  expedl  to  fee 
the  end  of  it.  May  1  employ  the  poor  remains  of 
life  as  well  as  polTible  1  I  wiih  my  infirmities  may 
fuggeil  hints  of  caution  to  my  younger  brethren 
and  friends,  to  apply  diligently  to  their  Mafter*s 
work,  to  be  frugal  of  their  tifne,  and  frugal  of 
their  money,  as  age  and  prior  infirmities,  may  ren- 
der them  incapable  of  doing  good,  or  filling  up 

nations 


^2       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,      Let.  i6, 

■ftations  in  which  they  might  be  comfortably 
fupported.  And  the  ftate  of  the  world  at  prefcnt 
'is  fuch,  that  nothing  can  be  more  difagreeable 
and  painful,  than  to  be  in  circumflances  of  necef- 
iity  and  dependence,  when  every  comfortable 
circumftance  and  accommodation  is  fo  defirable 
to  lighten  the  burdens  of  hfe.  Lofs  of  time, 
and  negleft  of  opportunities  of  ufefulnefs,  often 
opprefs  my  fpirits.  Spending  too  much  time 
about  trifling  books  and  fludies,  the  contents 
and  fubjeds  of  which  I  could  v/ifh  entirely  to 
have  blotted  from  my  memory^  is  a  very  painful  cir- 
cumftance.  I  mention  what  gives  me  uneafmefs, 
that  you  may  now  avoid  the  like,  and  employ 
your  health  and  money,  your  time  and  abilities, 
fo  as  to  leave  no  room  for^^/;i/w/reile6lIoRS  here- 
after. May  God  prolong  your  life,  as  much  as 
his  glory  and  your  owm  ufefulnefs  and  comfort 
may  render  defirable,  and  m.ay  the  clofe  of  it  have 
no  bitter  remorfe,  no  uneafy  lenfations  attending 
it  !  Continue  your  prayers  for  me,  and  believe 
me  to  be,  dear  Sir, 

Your  fincere  and  affedionate  friend, 

and  faithful  fervant, 

Job  Or  ton. 
Befides  Lucas's  Inquiry  after  Happinefs,  (as 
mentioned  in  a  former  letter)  he  publiPned  two 
volumes  of  Sermons,  which  I  much  admire  ;  and 
likewife  a  fm.all  traft,  concerning  the  duty  of 
Servants,  v/ith  Advices,  and  Prayers  for  their  ufe: 
but  his  principal  work  was  afmall  treatife  called 
FraBical  Chrifianity,  or  the  Chief  Defign  of  the 
Gofpel,  which  hath  gone  through  many  editions, 
and  contains  the  fubflance  of  forty  or  fifty  excel- 
lent 


Let.  17.       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,        73 

lent  fermons,  and  is  one  of  the  bed  books  I  know 
for  a  young  Minilier,  or  indeed  any  perfon,  to 
read  a  chapter  of  it  daily.* 

*  I  herewith  (fays  Sir  Rtchard  Steele)  fend  you  Dr.  Lucas's 
FraBical  Chn'jiianity,  for  your  fer/cus  perufal.  If  you  have  already  read 
it,  I  defire  you  would  give  it  to  one  of  your  friends,  who  have  mt.  I 
think  you  cannot  recoiTimend  it  better  than  in  inferting,  by  way  of 
fpecimen,  thefe  paffages  which  I  tcint  out  to  you.  Since  I  have  a/W 
capable  of  happinefs  and  nnifery,  it  naturally  follows,  tiiat  it  v^'ere 
unreafonable  to  lofe  this  foul  for  the  g.iin  of  the  whole  world.  For 
the  foul  is  I  myfelf;  but  if  that  be  mifeyuh.'e,  /muft  needs  be  fo.  Out- 
•u'ord  circumftances  of  fortune  may  give  the  world  occafion  to  thir/i 
vne  happy,  but  they  can  never  tvale  me  fo.  Shall  I  call  myfelf  happy, 
'■d  difcmtent  and  forro-iv  eat  out  the  life  and  fpirit  of  my  foul  ?  \i  lujh 
and  pajfiorn  riot,  and  mutiny  in  my  b(ifora  .'  \{  my  Jtus  fcatter  an  un- 
eafy  fhameall  over  me,  and  my  guilt  appals  and  frightens  me  ?  What 
avails  it,  that  my  rootm  are  ftitely^  &c  ?  See  the  G uanii c^n,  Vol.  I.  No. 
■63.  for  the  remainder  of  x.\\\sjh  iking  quotation. 


LETTER       XVir. 


Dear  Sir, 


July  28,  1775. 


I 


AM  willing  to  write  to  you  once 
more,  before  you  leave  Cheverel,  to  go  to  your 
new  living,'!^  though  1  have  nothing  very  partic- 
ular to  fay  to  you.  I  was  glad  to  lee  your  Mother, 
as  it  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  converfing  with 
her  about  your  fettlement  at  IVormington ;  and  ihe 
talked  like  a  wife  and  good  woman,  and  a  tender 
parent.  I  really  think  it  would  be  bed  for  you, 
not  to  keep  houfe  there,  at  ieaft  at  prefent.  Can- 
not you  contrive  to  board  with  fome  reputable 
farmer  in  the  pariih,  in  whofe  houfe  you  might 
have  a  room,  and  be  accoamiodated  with  all  nee- 
G  effaries 

f   U^ormi^g/S",  in  G/ouceJ?rr^iire. 


y  \.       Leltcrs  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  17, 

elTarles  at  a  cheap  rate  ?  Thus  you  would  Hve  in 
a  family  way,  and  not  find  the  enfuing  winter  fo 
dull  as  it  will  be,  if  you  are  in  your  parfonage- 
houfe  :  and  thus  you  will  fave  money  to  furnidi 
your  houfe,  when  you  fee  occafion  for  fo  doing. 
I  have  often  heard  Dr.  Doddridge  and  feveral 
other  Divines  fay,  that  they  lived  very  comforta- 
bly in  farm-houfes  at  their  firft  fetting  out,  and  I 
iliould  think  it  on  many  accounts  defirable  for 
you.^'     But  of  this  you  may  judge  for  yourfeif. 

I  waited 

■"■^  Extrr.(5t  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  [afterwards  Dr.]  Doddridge  to  a 
Lai'y  of  his  aquaiatance  ;  written  fooa  after  he  went  into  the 
rauiiilry. 

>/)  15,  1723. 
-Great  revolutions  have  happened  in  my  little  afiairs  fmce  I 


wrote  to  you  laft.  Oa  t!ie  firrt  of  j'zwd'  I  lemovtd  from  Hinckley,  and 
am  come  to  afmall  Vilhge  in  the  neiglibourhood  of  Kil'iuort/i;  where 
1  am  fettled,  and  have  laid  afule  all  thoughts  of  going  to  Coventry, 
though  I  havehee;!  much  fohciled  to  it  fince  m.y  coming  hither.  My 
fettlement  here  is  on  fome  accounts  very  pleafant,  but  on  others  difa- 
greeahle  enoagh.  I  board  at  a  farmer's  houfe  ;  and  as  for  eat. ng  and 
orinking  we  are  well  provided  for,  excepting  the  article  of  dear  tea, 
of  which, I  anl  conficert, there  never  was  one  drop  drank  in  the  houfe 
fiace  it  was  built,  unlefs  it  were  v.  hat  the  garden  and  meado-.vs  af- 
ford. The  mailer  and  mill; efs  of  the  f  iraily  are  veiy  good,  plain 
fort  of  people  ;  but  /lis  poiitenefs  extends  no  further  tiian  the  team 
and  the  picugh,  nor  /icr's  than  the  poultry  or  the  dairy  :  and  they  are 
fo  much  taken  up  with  thefe  important  affairs,  that  your  poor  friend 
has  but  little  of  their  company.  I  am  frequently  alone  twenty-one 
hours  in  twenty-four,  and  fometimes  breakfafV,  dine,  and  fup  by  my- 
feh".  I  cannot  fay  tl-:at  this  erani'ical  life  is  very  agreeable  to  my 
natural  temper,  which,  rnchnes  me  to  fociety.  1  am  nccelfarily  obl.g- 
ed  to  ilndy  hard,and  if  it  were  not  for  that  my  life  would  be  a  burden. 

In  what  rhf.rner  Mr.  Doddridge  fpent  liis  time  in  this  early  pe- 
riolof  his  life,  in  fuch  retired  fituations,  will  be  feen  by  the  following 
letter  to  his  brct!ier-in-law,f  wherein  he  excufes  himfelf  for  writing 
Ihort  huiiiorous  accou  its  of  bufinefs. 

Harhorough^yune  29,  T726. 

Dear  Brother,  Wtdhcfday  viof^'ng,  e'ght  o'clccl:. 

I  MAKE  it  a  maxim  with  me,  to  write  either  to  you  or  my  filler, 

whe  i5ver  an  opportunity  offers  itfelf  for  that  purpofe.     So  that  you 

have  two  or  three  letters  from  me,  wiien  other  more  exacl  correfpon- 

d;5nts  have  but  one.     You  will  not  be  oif^^nded  then,  that  my  letters 

are 
f  The  Fev.  Mf\  JOHN  Nettleton,  of  Oagar,  m  ElYex,  -tv.w  a'isJ 
in  the  year  1 7  34.  •         . 


Let.  17.       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.        75 

I  waited  with  impatience  to  hear  from  Dr. 
Stonhouse,  to  learn  the  (late  of  his  own  and  liis 
family's  heaUh.  The  letter  1  have  received  from 
him,  hke  all  other  earthly  intelligences  and  con- 
cerns, is  counterchanged,  and  gives  reafon  for  a 
mixture  of  joy  and  grief.  But  he  and  I  have  liv- 
ed fo  long  to  little  purpofe,  if  we  have  not  learn- 
ed to  ex[)e-5l  thefe  mixed  fcenes,  and  not  to  be 
greatly  moved  by  them  ;  and  efpecially  to  im- 
prove them  to  quicken  our  diligence,  and  im- 
prove our  piety.  He  is  gone  with  his  family  to 
Ipend  fome  time  at  Ckefter-Hoitfe,  in  Northamp- 
to)ipiire,\\\\\Q\i  is  a  charming  place  for  meditation, 

reading 

are  no  longer  ;  for  you  mufl  CMifider,  that  I  have  a  great  deal  of  bufi- 
nefs  which  requires  my  daily  attendance.  I  was  up  at  five  o'clock, 
this  morning,  and  have  been  all  this  while  ftudying  a  part  of  the  Epif- 
th  to  the  Romans-,  and  writing  letters.  At  this  very  tisne,  Demosthe- 
nes is  waiting  to  entertain  me  with  one  of  his  Philippics  ;  and  Vir- 
gil is  bringing  back  .5Lneas  to  his  camp,  when  I  have  long  been  in 
pain  for  his  abfence.  Do<5lor  Ti  llotso  n  has  prepared  an  adrrdrabU 
fermon,  which  he  will  deliver  quickly  in  mv  chamber,  with  his  ufual 
grace  and  fweetnefs.  And  then  Gfhrard  Braxot,  w  ill  go  on  with 
his  Hiftory  of  the  Pcrfccutio  i  of  theRemonflrants  after.their  condem- 
nation at  the  Synod  ,of  D':irt.  In  the  afternoon,  I  expert  to  hearfKom 
Puny,  who  generally  favours  me  with  two  or  three  .epiftles  a  day, 
tnough  a  ftranger  and  an  heathen,  while  you  a  Chriftian  Minifter 
and  my  brother,  will  hardly  vviite  once  in  a  quarter.  If  1  lliould  be 
rn(xler;itely  tranfoorted  with  t!ie  joy  of  vidlory,or  the  grief  and  forrovv 
of  a  defeat ;  with  love  to  Mrs.  *  *  *,  or  anger  againft  my  antagonift, 
J  hope  to  find  my  remedy  in  the  converfation  of  Mr.  Bragof,  who 
has  lii,t3]y  undertaken  to  teach  me  the  government  of  th'3  pafiions, 
which  indeed  I  ouchr  to  l^.ave  barnt  fonie  time  ago.  Dr.  Poti  ir  is 
teaching  nve Grecian  Antiquities.  Bat  I  fear,  I  {hall  hardly  !iave  time 
to  fpcak  with  him  to- Jay.  However,  1  will,  if  poilible,  attend  upon 
my  tutor  Cradogk  in  the  evening,  who  is  ledluring  to  me  on  the 
epiftles,  with  great  accuracy  and  folidity.  Befidesthir,  I  have  a  kind 
of  a  llaort  fermon  to  preach  in  the  family,  according  to  my  daily  cuf- 
tam,  and  three  or  four  letters  to  tranfcribe  into  fhort-hand.  Now  I 
\vill  leave  you,  v,?ho  are  oie  of  the  greatoft  clerks  I  know,  to  judge, 
v/hether  all  tiiis  bufmefs  will  leave  ir.e  time  to  fay  any  thing  more, 
thaji  how  does  my  fifter,  with  my  fervice  xo  her } 

I  am  your  affedlionate  brother  and  fervant, 

Philip  Doddridge. 

^cs  aJfo  Mr,  Orton's  L//f  e^Z)/%  DoDPRiDGE, /':;^e  il;   zd  ediilort, 


76        Letters  to  a  Youiy  Clergyman.      Let.  17. 

reading  and  devotion  ;  and  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  he  and  Mrs.  Stonhouse  will  imorove- 
It  accordingly.  I  heartily  wiili  he  may  be  free 
while  there,  from  all  di digreeable  and  impertinent 
company,  and  that  his  health  m.ay  be  greatly  re- 
cruited by  his  receis.  The  Doctor  willies  to 
leave  ***  entirely,  and  I  truft  Providence  will 
dired  him  to  fome  comfortable  and  ufeful  fet- 
tlement.  I  have  defired  him  to  remember  the 
words  of  the  poet  : 

Yet  reafon,  while  it  foims  the  fuhtil  plan, 
Some  purer  fource  of  pleafure  to  explore, 
Muft  deem  it  va^n  for  that  poor  pilgrim,  man, 
To  think  of  refting  till  his  journey's  o'er. 

I  am  glad  I  have  no  vifitors  like  Mr.  ***,  na 
fuch  Bath  friends.  1  would  not  have  them. 
They  are  i\q{  friends.  While  I  am  independent, 
I  would  not  fubmit  to  fuch  grievances  and  incon- 
veniences, nor  fhould  iPiy  wife  (if  I  had  fuch  an 
one  as  his).  *'  What  mufl;  we  do.?"  they  will 
fay.  \\\-\y  break  OiT  all  correfpondence  with 
fuch.  Tell  them  (as  I  did  at  Shrew/bury^  and 
do  here)  "  I  am  old  and  infirm  ;  I  w^ill  have  my 
own  hours.  At  them  I  fhall  be  glad  to  fee  my 
friends,  but  they  mud  come  foon-,  and  go  foon, 
or  not  at  all."  ''  But  we  can't  do  this  at  ***/* 
Then  1  would  remove  to  the  iand's-end  or  to  a 
Welih  mountain,  and  v/ould  not  facrifice  fuch 
blefiings  as  health,  regularity,  domeftic  comfort, 
and  family  religion,  for  any  perfon  or  perfons 
whatfoever.  I  am  independent,  and  w^ill  be  fo. 
A  few  nights  ago  I  heard  fome  zijeaver's  lad  fing- 
ing  a  fong  under  my  window,  of  which  I  remem- 
ber no  more  than  this — "Let  them  fay  what  they 
ivill,  by  Jove  V\\  be  free."    I  have  little  company 

and 


Let.  1 8.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.        77 

and  acquaintance.  Eafe  and  quiet,  and  an  inter- 
view now  and  then  with  a  worthy  friend,  bound 
-my  ambition.  But  I  have  a  numerous  and  excel- 
lent ibciety  of  prophets,  apoftles,  and  pradtical 
writers,  efpecially  Baxter,  Bates,  and  Scud- 
DER,  with  whom  I  have  lately  b^en  converfing.* 

Mr. Daub r e y  I  have  feen  formerly  at  Shrewf- 
hury,  and  often  heard  of  his  charader  and  worth 
from  my  father,  Mr.  Painter,  of  Harley,  and 
others.  He  was  mafter  of  the  grammar-fchool 
at  WolveyJianipton^  before  Sir  Thomas  Whit- 
more  (who  was  his  fcholar)  gave  him  the  living 
di  Sitockto:i,\ 

Your  friends  here  are  welL     I  fhall  be  glad  to 
receive  a  letter  from  you.     There  is  no  Dean  or 
BiOiop  loves  you  and  wiflies  you  better,  and 
would  be  glad  to  ferve  you  in  his  way,  than 
Yours  very  affedionately, 

Job  Orton. 

*  • — I  have  no  connexions  or  acquaintance  with  great  men  ;  and 
afxi  happy  in  an  obfcure  fituatlon,  where  I  can 

—  with  fage  Hcorfu's  eye 

See  from  my  mother-earth  God's  blefiingb,  Ipring, 
And  eat  my  bread  in  peace  and  privacy. 

Mr,  Mason  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kurd. 

\  The  editor  w«ll  remembers  this  venerable  and  pious  man,  wh© 
«Ued  about  the  year  1760 — fail  of  days,  and  full  of  honour. 


LETTER       XVIII. 

.6'f^/.  23,  1775. 
Dear  Sir, 

xT  gives  me  pleafure  to  find  you  are 
fo  comfortable  in  your  new  fituation,  and  I  heart- 
ily wilh  yau  fuccefs  in  it.     I  am  afraid  you  find 
G  2  your 


78      Letters  to  a  Yomig  Clergy tnan.       Let.  i^. 

your  parllh  like  the  field  of  the  llothful,  and  that 
you  have  much  difficult  work  to  root  out,  as  well 
as  to  plant.  But  fet  about  it  vigoroufly  and  ref- 
OiUtely,and  iji  divine  fl;rength,with  earneft  prayer 
for  affiftance  and  fuccels,  and  God  will  profper 
you.  Methinks  I  would  fain  have  you  do  fome- 
thing  on  each  part  of  the  Lord's  day  by  way  of 
exhortation.  If  you  preach  in  the  morning,  ex- 
pound in  the  afternoon  one  af  the  leffons,  or  the 
epiftle  and  gofpel  for  the  day,  in  a  (hort  manner, 
with  fome  pradical  reflections  upon  it.  You  will 
meet  with  fufhcie.it  help  from  your  commenta- 
tors, particularly  from  Henry's  Expofition^  and 
Doddridge's  Family  Expojitor.  This  will  be 
eafier  to  you  than  making  a  fernion,  perhaps 
equally  ufeful  to  your  people  ;  and  it  will  be  a 
likely  means  to  engage  them  to  attend  more  reg- 
ularly, when  they  have  fomething  more  than  the 
common  fervlce.  Bifhop  Burnet  flrongly  rec- 
ommends long  texts  and  fhort  fermons,  or,  in 
our  flyle,  expofitions  :  and  this  method  of  ex- 
pounding fome  part  of  the  fcripture  read  in  the 
fervice,  hath  been  pradifed  by  many  of  the  Cler- 
gy in  former  days,  who  were  moft  eminent  for 
piety  and  zeal.*  1  have  juft  been  reading  again 
BiJJiop  Bedel's  L if eyV/ho  was  an  eminently  pious 
and  good,  as  well  as  a  very  learned  man.  It  is 
faid  of  him,  that  every  Sunday  he  expounded  the 
epiftle  and  gofpel  for  the  day.  If  you  have  never 
read  that  life,  I  would  recommend  it  to  you.    In 

the 

*  See  page  9  of  thefe  Letters.  "  It  may  be  proper  at  other  times 
to  explain,  in  tlie  way  of  fernons,  the  Book  of  Covmon  Prayer^  fo  far 
as  it  relates  to  the  rorijlant  fervice  of  the  church  ;  for  it  is  as  neceffary 
that  people  fhoulJ  u?idc?jlund  the  icrout  ///>,  and  true  meaning  of  it,  as 
•tliat  ji  foldiCr  Ihould  und^rjl^md  tlie  dexterous  ufe  of  his  weapons." 

Dr,  SiONHoyse's  llinti  tQ  a  CuraUf  page  4* 


Let.  1 8.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       j'} 

the  latter  part  of  the  book  Is  the  beft  confutation 
of  the  tenets  of  popery,  which  I  ever  favv  in  (o 
little  a  compafs. 

I  am  glad  you  have  introduced  pfalin-finging 
into  your  church.  I  think  your  befh  way  of  car- 
rying it  on  in  an  agreeable  manner,  will  be  to  get 
fome  of  your  young  men  to  your  own  houfe  now 
and  then,  and  to  go  over  fome  plain  tunes  with 
them,  until  they  can  fmg  them  perfeftly  ;  and 
thus  by  degrees  the  reft  of  the  congregation  will 
learn  them.  Let  not  thefe  young  men  fit  to- 
gether, but  be  difperfed  properly  over  the  church. 
I  ufed  this  method  with  my  young  people  at 
Shrewfiury ;  but  I  never  attempted  to  teach  therrt 
the  grounds  of  mufick,  becaufe  1  thought  it  un- 
necefiary,  and  indeed  becaufe  I  was  not  capable 
of  it.  But  they  learned  to  fing  fuch  tunes,  and 
in  fuch  time  and  method,  that  that  part  of  the 
fervice  was  honourably  conducted.  By  degrees 
you  and  they  may  learn  fome  more,  though  I 
fliould  think  about  ei2;ht  common  metre,(ix  long 
metre,  and  two  fhort  metre  tunes,  would  be 
enough.  Probably  fome  neighbouring  parifh 
clerk  would  come  once  a  week  to  teach  them  for 
a  fmall  fum  :  but  I  think  you  can  teach  them 
fufficiently  yourfelf.  It  will  be  advifeable  for 
you  to  go  to  tht  fchool,  and  fee  how  the  children 
learn, and  fpeak  to  and  encourage  them  ;  and  to 
dired  the  miftrefs,  privately,  how  to  difcharge 
her  duty,  and  excite  her  to  it.  The  prefence  of 
the  Minifter  of  the  parifh,  now  and  then,  will 
quicken  both  teacher  and  learners,  and  have  a 
good  effcdt.  You  will  in  the  pulpit,  and  ef- 
pecially  in  private,  excite  the  parents  to  be  fo- 

licitous 


So       Letters  to  a  YoHfig  C/ergymau.      Let.  i Si 

licitous  that  their  children  may  learn  their  books 
and  catechifm. 

Dr.  Evans's  Sermons  on  the  Chriftian  Temper ^ 
are  I  think  on  the  whole,  fonie  of  the  beft  dif- 
courfes  lever  read  for judgaient,  ftyle,  fulnefs  of 
matter,. regularity  of  thought  and  divifion,  and 
comino;  home  to  men*s  confciences.  I  have 
lately  bought  a  neat  Scotch  edition  of  them  in 
duodecimo. 

I  have  now  good  reafon  to  believe,  that  m.y 
little  trad  on  Chrifiian  IVorJJiip  hath  fold  pret- 
ty well.  You  will,  I  know,  join  with  me  in 
ihankfulnefs  on  tliis  account,  and  in  prayer  that 
it  may  be  further  ufeful.  The  manner  in  which 
the  Dean  of  Gloucester  fpeaks  of  this  un- 
dertaking gives  me  no  fmall  pleafure,  and  I  hope 
his  recommendation  will  introduce  it  into  the 
hands  of  many  who  might  otherwife  never  fee  it, 

1  have  read  Mr.  John  Wesley's  Addrefs  to 
ihe  Americans^  and  am  much  pleafed  with  it. 
But  I  am  tired  with  politics,  and  defire  to  be 
found  among  the  quiet  in  the  land.  A  worthy 
Miniiier  in  London  wvitQS  to  me  in  the  following 
manner. — "  I  willi  I  and  my  family  were  fettled, 
at  leaft  for  fome  time,  with  you,  or  in  fome  ob- 
fcure  corner  of  the  land,  where  I  fhould  hear 
nothing  of  what  is  paffing  in  the  world.  For  my 
part,  I  think  both  (ides  are  mad,  and  trying 
which  (hall  go  the  mofl  defperate  lengths.  The 
queftion  between  Great- Britain  and  the  Colonies  I 
never  entered  into.  I  have  much  more  impor- 
tant concerns  to  take  up  my  time  and  attention 
than  to  engage  in  an  affair  to  which  I  am  very 
unequal.     What  the  end  of  thefe  things  may  be, 

God 


Let.  19.       Letters  to  a  Yowt^  ClergymaH.        St 

God  only  knows ;  but  it  is  high  time  to  prepare 
for  the  worft."  This  good  man  fpeaks  my  fen- 
timcats  fully.  Thefe  things  are  little  to  me, 
who  am  going  out  of  the  world.  I  am  forry  for 
you  that  are  young,  and  for  pofterity.  But  the 
Lord  reigneth  :  tahis  fa.vour  and  blelfing  I  com- 
mend you  in  all  your  interefts  and  attempts  to  do 
good  ;  and  am 
Your  afFedtionate  and  faithful  humble  fervant, 

Job  Orton^ 


LETTER       XIX. 

Feb.  8,  1776. 
DsAR  Sir.,. 

1  WAS  glad  to  hear  that  you  got 
fafe  to  fVormington,  through  {o  many  perils  and 
difficulties  by  reafon  of  the  fiiow  ;  and  perhaps 
with  fome  mifgiving  thouglits  for  having  left 
your  flock  fo  long  and  in  fo  dangerous  a  time  ;* 
a-s  they  never  more  need  their  pallor's  watchful 
eye, and  even  his  prefence  might  be  fome  reftraint 
from  excefs.  You  will  now  however  fet  yourfelf 
dofely  and  diligently  to  your  great  work,  and  do 
them  ail  the  good  in  your  power.  I  am  pleafed 
to  find,  that  you  received  tlve  box  of  books  fafe, 
which  I  defire  you  to  accept  ;  hoping  they  will 
be  ufeful  to  you,  and  confequently  to  your  people. 
I  could  wifn  you  would  have  Bilhop  Patrick*s 
Comments  on  the  Old  Teftament,  with  Lowtii  ou 
the  Prophets-,  as  likewifc  Baxter's  M/orks,  al- 
ways at  your  elbow.  You 

*  Chrillmas, 


Bi        Letters  to  a  Yo:i-ig  C'ergyman,      Let.  19. 

You  have  probably  heard  of  the  death  of  the 
Earl  of  Radnor.     Dr.  and  Mrs.SroNHousE 
came  home  laft  Thurfday  from  LGngford-Cafile^ 
(his  Lordlhip's  feat  in  tViltjJiire)   extremely  fa- 
tigued, having  gone  through  great  perils,  owing 
to  the  depth  of  the  fnow,  and  the  feverity  of  the 
feafo7..     The  Doclor  gives  an  agreeable  account 
of  his  patron's  death  ;  to  whom,  being  called  up 
in  the  middle  of  the  night,  he  adminiftered  the 
facrament,  together  with  Lady  Radnor,  fome 
of  his  children,  and  fervants,  before  he  expired, 
with  which  he  feems  to  have  been  much  aiT.^cled. 
Dr.  H-ALE  o^  Salijhitry  2in(\  Dr.  SroN house* 
attended  him;  and  Dr.  Moysey  of  Bath  met 
them  in  confultation,  but  all  medical  help  was 
vahi.     His  Lordfliip  had  many  excellent  quali- 
ties  in  his   charadl:er,  and  paid  more  regard  to 
Chriftianity  and  pra^ical  religion,  than  I   fear 
mofh  of  our  great  people  now  do.     The  Dodor 
intimates,  that  he  had  a  ftrong  fenfe  of  religion, 
and  that  he  took  leave  of  his  family  like  a  tender 
hufband  and  father,  and  a  fmcere  Chriilian.-^ 

The  difference  of  fenfible  perfons  in  their  judg- 
ment concerning  our  friend's  late  pubucation,  is 
BO  way  uncomm.on  in  fuch  cafes.  1  uiQi  he 
-would  not  mind  their  frivolous  objedions.  Let 
him  ren:iemher  the  ftory  of  the  old  mian,  his  fon 
and  the  afs.      There  is  no  pleafmg  every  bod}', 

and 

*  Dr,  Stonhovse  was  for  two  aa<l  twenty  years  phyfician  to  the 
■county  infirmary  at  Northampton!,  and  in  very  extenfive  praclice  ; 
wlxich  he  was  obliged  to  give  up  on  account  of  his  health.  After 
which  the  Earl  of  Radnor  give  him  a  living  ;  and  on  his  Lord- 
faip's  illnefs,  he  in  conju  idlion  with  Dr.  Hale,  a6led  in  his  medic^i! 
xapacity,  which  he  never  did  after  his  having  quitted  his  profellion 
as  a  phyfician,  unlefs  to  his  parifhioners,  or  when  defired  by  foniS 
.particular  friend. 

f  His  LorJfaip  died  January  28,  17.76,  aged  jq. 


Let.  19.       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       83 

and  to  attempt  it  is  foolifli.*      A  perfon  once 
wrote  to  Dr.  Doddridge,  (not  with  the  great- 
ell  humilit)^)  on  the  impropriety  and  unfound- 
nefs  of  one  or  two  of  his  pofitions  in  a  pubUca- 
tion.     He  knowing  it  to  be  vain  and  endlefs  to 
enter  into  fuch  particulars,  only  replied,  qiwdfcrip- 
Ji,  fcripfu     The  main  concern  of  every  Chriftian, 
efpecially   every  Minifler,  fhould   be    to    pleale 
God  :  which  whoever  does,  may  fet  his  heart  at 
reft,  whether  he  doth,  or  doth  not,  pleafe  man, 
yea,  even  his  friends  ;  nay,  if  he  difpleafe  thofe 
whom  he  wiilied  to  pleafe  ;  nay,  and  doth  it  in 
the  very  point  in  which  he  hoped  and  expeded 
moft  of  all  to  pleife  them.     The  *  *  has  too 
much  reafon  to  complain»of  the  unkind nefs  of 
fome  of  his  more  lukewarm  brethren  towards 
him.    May  God  mend  them  ;  I  cannot.    Com- 
plaining will  not  avail,  but  only  irritate  ourfelves 
and  them,  and  tend  to  make  us  lefs  thankful  for 
the  many,  many  comforts  we  enjoy,    1  have  lent 
him  tire  following  lines. 

The  wife  in  fecret  always  hide  their  pain, 
And  only  where  redrefs  is  Aire,  complain  : 
Contented  reft  with  necelFary  ill, 
And  what  t'ley  mult  fubmit  to  feem  to  will. 
Whilft  babbling  fools,  repining  at  their  fate, 
Their  wants,  their  wrongs,  their  difcontents  relate  ; 
And  ign'raat  of  the  make  of  huniaa  mind, 
Solicit  frity,  where  contempt  they  iind. 

I  think  Rapin's  Hrjiory^  confidered  as  a  Hif- 
tory  of  England  in  general,  and  not  of  a  particu- 
lar period,  is  the  beft;  we  have.    His  being  a  for-, 
eigner,  makes  it  probable,  that  he  was  more  im- 
partial, 

*  "  Th3  judgment  or  the  world  is  fo  whimfical  and  injudicious, 
and  their  fa^^-rars  fo  capricioufly,  abfardly,and  moft  unjuftiy  beftow- 
ed,  as  we  may  fee  every  clay,  that  if  a  man  will  fi"et  at  fuch  things, 
he  hath  nothing  to  do  but  fret  on,  until  death  puts  an  end  to  his  foc;i-- 
ilh  forrow3.'* 


^4       Letters  lo  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  19. 

partial,  than  a  native  Englifhman  would  be  like- 
ly to  be.  Fie  is  in  high  reputation  as  an  hiftorian 
as  far  as  the  revolution,  where  his  hiftory  ends. 
TiND all's  Continuation  Is  worth  reading;  but 
it  is  a  tedious  heavy  work,  and  fpun  out  merely 
to  get  money.  The  iubfcribers,  of  which  I  was 
one,  thought  themfelves  ill  ufed  and  impoied  up- 
on by  him.  However,  if  it  lliould  come  in  your 
way,  you  may  receive  information  from  it.  But 
for  a  fhort  view  of  Engiiili  hiflory,  of  that  period 
which  is  mod  important  to  us,  I  think  none  is 
equal  to  BIfhop  Burnet's  Hiftory  of  his  ozun 
Time  ;  and-,  for  a  Ihort  abftrai^t,  We l wood's 
Afemoirs. 

As  to  my  health,  I  am  as  comfortable  as  I  can 
expect  to  be.  Here  is  my  (late  from  an  old  wri- 
ter :  "  Multa  cautela  cuftoditur  falus  corporis; 
cuftodlta,  cito  amittitur  ;  amiila,  cum  gravi  la- 
borc  repaiatur ;  et  tamen  reparata,  femperindu* 
bio  efl."  I  feel  the  meaning  of  this  defcriptlon. 
May  my  fpirit  feel  the  good  elfed  it  lliould  have 
^pon  me  !  I  heartily  wiih  your  increafing  com- 
fort and  fuccefs  in  your  great  work.  Now  is  the 
time,  when  you  have  little  parochial  duty,  to  ap- 
ply clofely  to  fludy,  and  increafe  your  flock  of 
critical,  fcriptural,  and  pradical  knowledge, that 
if  Providence  Ihould  call  you  out  to  a  larger  and 
more  public  ftation,  and  a  greater  fphere  of  ufe- 
fulnefs,  you  may  be  qualified  for  it,  and  equal 
to  it.  I  am^  dear  Sir, 

Your  afFe6tionate  and  faithful  friend, 

and  humble  fervant. 

Job  Orton. 

LETTER 


Let.  20.      Letters  to  a  Ycung  Clergyman.       85 

LETTER      XX. 

May  22,  1776. 
Dear  Sir, 

i\S  yoxi  have  Palmer's  Abridgment 
^Baxter'j  Reformed  Pajior^  you  can  need  no 
fiirther  advice  from  me  about  your  parifhioners. 
I  think  that  book  is  hiflar  omnium  on  the  fubjed. 
You  will  no  doubt  call  at  every  houfe  in  your 
parifh,  and  make  prudent  inquiries  into  their 
ftate ;  whether  they  attend  the  church  and  fa- 
crament,  have  prayer  in  their  families,  catechife 
their  children,  and  take  pains  with  their  f^rvants. 
It  is  eafier  to  preach  acceptably  at  fuch  places  as 
B  *  *,  than  to  converfe  intelligibly  and  profitably 
with  country-families.  A  late  author  (I  forget 
whom)  faith,  St.  Anthony's  preaching  to  the 
pigs,  (according  to  the  popiili  legend)  was  only 
preaching  to  country-farmers.  But  as  the  gofpel  is 
adapted  to  them,  I  pray  God,  you  may  be  infhru- 
mental  in  carrying  it  to  their  hearts. 

I  do  not  think  Mac  knight  on  the  Gofpels 
(though  a  very  ufeful  judicious  book)  will  do  for 
Mr.  *•**  to  read  in  his  family.  I  make  ufe  of 
Mr.  Henry's  Expofition,  or  Dr. Doddridge's 
Expofitor  in  mine.  When  I  read  the  latter,  my 
family  have  their  bibles  in  their  hands,  and  I  de- 
lire  them  to  turn  to  that  evangelift,  whofe  ac- 
count is  moil  large  in  the  feclion.  Some  perfons 
read  only  the  text  and  improvement  in  their  fam- 
ihes,  as  Dr.  Adams,&c.  What  I  fay  in  my  Re- 
ligious Exercifes,  (p.  144)  is,  "  1  would  inculcate 
upon  ail  families,  where  it  can  be  performed,  the 
H  ufe 


S6       Lefters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  so, 

life  of  Pfalmody  :"  and  then  1  give  my  reafons ; 
meaning,  where  it  can  be  performed  decently^  by 
a  fufficient  number,  and  capable  of  tolerable  fmg- 
ing  ;  and  prudently,  on  account  of  the  fituation 
and  vicinity.  Is  there  any  thing  to  be  objeded 
to  in  this  ?  ^Ax.  ***  is  miftaken  as  to  what  he 
fays  of  finging  knv :  It  may  be  quite  harmonious, 
and  yet  no  louder  than  the  common  key  of  read- 
ing. One  or  two  fads  are  worth  a  thoufand 
theories  and  fuppofitions.  I  have  alwa3^s  lived 
in  families  where  finging  was  ufed.  And  I  nev- 
er found  nor  heard  of  any  Inconveniences  attend- 
ing the  practice  in  my  father's  family  at  Shrezvf- 
biiry,  though  he  lived  in  a  narrow  ftreet,  and 
which  was  the  greateft  thoroughfare  In  the  town  ; 
or  in  either  of  Dr.  Doddridge's  houfes  at 
Northampton,  or  at  my  own  houfe  at  Shrewjburyy 
or  many  other  houfes  here.  One  may  have  a 
vvorfe  opinion  of  men  than  they  deferve.  And 
let  religious  families  lirft  make  a  trial,  and  then 
proceed  to  drop  the  exerclfe  as  they  find  it  con- 
venient or  otherwife.  "  Let  not  your  good  be 
evil  fpoken  of,"  is  an  excellent  rule.  But  if  what 
is  good  in  itfelf  mufl:  be  omitted  for  fear  of  that, 
there  is  an  end  of  all  goodnefs.  A  pious  farm- 
er of  my  congregation  ufed  to  ling,  as  well  as  read 
and  pray  in  his  family.  His  reprobate  landlord, 
who  lived  near  him,  hath  come  by  with  his  rak- 
lih  companions,  and  contrafied  the  pfalm  with  a 
horie-laugh  and  an  indecent  fong.  The  'fquire's 
fon,  who  is  now  a  ferious  man,  hath  acknowledg- 
ed to  the  farmer's  Vvidow,  that  the  conduct  of 
his  father  and  Co.  fhocked  him  when  a  boy  ; 
and  that  the  fleadinefs  of  the  farmer  and  his  con- 

fiflent 


Let.  20.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       87 

fiftent  behaviour  In  all  other  Inftances,  had  a 
great  influence  in  giving  his  mind  aferious  turn. 
When  vice  is  bold,  it  is  fad  that  virtue  (hould 
be  fneaking.  Until  I  fee  or  hear  of  fome  well 
attefled  inftances,  in  which  the  credit  of  religion 
has  fuffered  by  Tinging  in  families,  confiftently 
religious,  the  pafiage  muft  ftand.  See  the  pref- 
ace, p.  viii.  ix. 

It  is  many  years  fince  I  read  Watts  on  the 
Love  of  God,  and  I  have  not  the  book  now  by 
me.  Dr.  Watts's  Treatifes,  Hymns,  ^c.  on 
that  fubjed  do  not  fuit  me.  He  is  too  much  of 
an  enamorato,  and  this  has  been  the  fole  objedion 
I  have  heard  againft  this  piece.  I  do  not  love 
fulfome,  lufcious  divinity.  And  the  good  Doc- 
tor allowed  in  his  preface  to  Mrs.  Rowe's  De- 
vout  Exercifes,  that  many  of  his  compofures  in 
younger  life  were  of  that  kind,  which  his  matur- 
er  judgment  difapproved.  T/ie  pajjio'as  in  our 
frame  (hould  be  confecrated  to  God,  and  it  is  de- 
firable  our  devotion  and  love  to  him  fiiould  be 
fervent  ;  but  as  there  is  fo  much  of  the  animal  in 
them,  and  men  have  different  con  ftl  tut  ions  and 
rellflies,  too  much  (Irefs  muft  not  be  laid  upon 
them. 

When  I  had  the  pleafurc  of  feeing  our  friend 
Mr.  **,  I  was  afraid  left  public  concerns  (hould 
have  injured  his  health,  or  difturbed  the  compo- 
fure  of  his  mind.  But  perhaps,  were  we  to  de- 
cline attending  to  fuch  concerns,  and  confine 
ourfelves  wholly  to  the  duties  of  our  families  and 
fundlons,  our  minds  might  be  ready  to  prey  up- 
on themf elves  for  want  of  variety,  and  through  a 
conftant  attachment  to  one  track  of  thou2;ht  and 

a(flion. 


88       Letters  to  a  Young  CI er gym  an.      Let.  20, 

adion.  \Yhile  Providence  has  favoured  him 
-  with  ahiiofl:  every  domeftic  comfort  to  fo  high  a 
degree,  and  given  him  fo  much  ikill,  reputation, 
and  fuccefs  in  his  profeffional  capacity,  it  would 
grieve  one  to  lind,  that  his  benevolent  concern 
and  attempts  for  the  good  of  mankind  impaired 
his  health,  or  prevented  him  from  relifliing  fo 
many  other  enjoyments.  Great  caution  and 
fteadinefs  are  neceifary,  that  we  fufFer  not  in  thefe 
particulars  -,  and  I  have  peculiar  reafon  to  give 
the  hint  to  every  friend  I  love,  as  I  have  fufFered 
fo  much  myfelf  by  not  attending  to  it. 

My  two  volumes  of  Sermons  on  PraEllcal  Sub^ 
jeBs,  were  ad verti fed  a  few  days  ago.  I  wilh  they 
may  do  good.  The  more  I  fee  of  many  modern 
fermxons  the  lefs  I  like  them  ;  and  the  lefs  I' 
think  they  are  calculated  for  ufefulnefs.  I  would 
willingly  write  modern  fenfe  and  accuracy,  with 
the  ancient  fimplicity,  pungency,  and  evangelic- 
al flrain. 

I  have  juft  been  perufing  an  account  of  the 
donation  of  a  milTal  to  a  college  of  popilli  prieils ; 
under  the  title  of  which  the  donor  had  written, 
"  When  you  read  this,  pray  for  the  foul  of  A.  B. 
who  gave  it.'*  So  I  fay  in  the  Proteftant  fenfe 
at  clofing  this  letter. 

Yours  affedionately, 

Job  Orton. 

Kettle  WELL  was  an  excellent  man,  and 
there  are  many  noble  things  in  his  devotional 
writings. 


LETTER 


Let.  21.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       89 

LETTER       XXI. 

Dear  Sir,  ^ ''        ' ' 

1  BEGAN  to  think  it  long  until  I 
heard  from  Mr.  ***,  who  is  vifiting  his  friends 
in  London.  I  was  ready  to  fufpeft  that  the  air 
of  the  metropolis  had  the  fame  effedl  upon  him 
that  it  hath  upon  mofh  of  my  friends  and  cor- 
refpondents  who  live  within  its  influence.  They 
refide  in  the  centre  of  intelligence,  relating  to 
hterary,  political,  and  ecclefiaflical  affairs,  whilft 
I  am  thrown  into  an  obfcure  corner,  out  of  the 
way  and  knowledge  of  any  one  of  them.  Yet 
I  enter  fo  deeply  into  the  concerns  of  my  fellow- 
creatures,  that  I  am  eager  to  know  how  the  world 
goeth  on  :  but  they  will  not  indulge  my  curiof- 
ity,  though  they  can  mofh  of  them  do  it  fully  in 
a  quarter  of  an  hour's  time  by  the  ufe  of  fhort- 
hand.  I  mufl  therefore  be  content,  and  value 
thofe  few,  very  few,  real  friends  fo  much  the 
more,  who,  hke  Mr.  ***,  reckon  themfelves  in 
debt  from  the  receipt  of  a  letter  until  it  is  anfwer- 
ed,  and  cannot  be  eafy,  until  they  have  cleared 
the  account.  Indeed  I  can  fend  them  no  intelli- 
gence from  hence ;  it  would  therefore  be  more 
kind  in  them.,  by  their  correfpondence,  to  make 
up  the  deficiency.  I  fee  more  and  more  reafon, 
the  longer  I  live  in  the  world,  to  apply  to  my- 
felf  part  of  Dr.  King's  epitaph  :  "  Amicos  ha- 
bui  multos — fed  gratos,  fidos,  ftabiles,  eheu  1 
perpaucos." 

1  am  obliged  to  Mr.  *  *  for  his  remarks  on  my 

Sermons.     He  is  a  very  worthy  man,  and  for 

H  2  whom 


90      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       Let.  it, 

whom  I  have  a  very  fincere  efteem  and  affedloii. 
The  pafiage  he  objects  to  in  the  piay-houfe  fer- 
mon,  page  292,*  is  a  fadl.  Some  exceptions  of 
dramatic  vv^riters  there  undoubtedly  are  ;  fuch 
as  Addison,  Young,  Hughes,  and  Lillo  : 
but  Ben  Johnson,  with  feveral  of  his  cotem- 
poraries ;  and  fince  them  Vanbrugh,  Dry- 
den,  Steele,  Otway,  Congreve,  Far- 
QJ.THAR,  CiBBER,  &c.  I  Will  not  except ;  nor 
even  Trap,  and  fcarcely  ThOxMson.  I  have 
read  th^  Lives  of  the  Poets,  and  am,  by  their 
writers,  confirmed  in  this  fentiment.  I  am  fen- 
fible  there  are  thofe  who  will  find  fault  with 
fome  exorefTions  I  have  made  ufe  of.  Let  them. 
There  is  no  avoiding  it,  if  you  will  fpeak  the 
■truth.  The  fat^  is  notorious ;  and  in  fuch  a  day 
as  the  prefent,  foftening  expreiTions  tend  to  de- 
feat the  intention.  I  think  it  m.y  duty  to  fpeak 
my  mind  as  clearly  and  ftrongly  as  I  can ;  and 
while  I  have  fufficient  evidence  that  I  am  right, 
I  do  not  fear  confequences.  This  generation  muil 
be  made  to /<?«?/,  if  poiTible,  elfe  no  good  can  be 
done  upon  them.  It  is  well  known,  that  the 
plays  of  the  moft  moral  dra  mat  ids  are  feldom  a6l- 
ed  ;  fcarce  ever  in  the  country  :  and  even  fome 
of  thefe  better  fort  of  writers  have  Ihamefully  in- 
ferted  profanations  of  the  name  of  God  ;  which 
1  can  hardly  reconcile  with  the  chara6ler  of  a 
good  man.     But  vale  at  quantum  vahiere  potejl.-^ 

There 

*  "It  is  generally  allowed,  that  the  very  profefTion  [of  a  player] 
is  mean  and  Ibrdid.  The  adlors  perlbnate  fo  many  charadlcrs,  that 
they  have  none  of  their  own  ;  or  none  hut  what  are  contem[)tible, 
•&€."  Perhaps  the  woithy  author  of  this  difcourfe  has  carried  things 
in  it  ratlier  too  far. 

f  The  connexion  in  which  this  note  ftands,  is  allowed  not  to  he 
the  moft  natu'  al  and  eafy  ;  yet  for  the  fiike  of  the  moral  fentiment 
contained  in  it;  the  Editor  yeatures  to  infcrt  it,  <'  liud 


Let.  21.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       91 

There  is  a  great  deal  to  be  learnt  from  Dr. 
Clarke's  JVorks,  and  therefore  they  ought  and 
deferve  to  be  read  carefully.  I  have  mod  of 
them,  and  have  often  read  them.  His  fermons, 
which  I  have  lately  gone  over  again,  are  all  fen- 
iible  and  judicious ;  and  he  hath  an  excellent 
colle(5lion  of  parallel  texts  and  good  definitions 
of  words  and  things ;  though  with  refped  to  the 
former,  often  more  than  is  needful  to  explain  his 
meaning.  The  applications  of  his  fermons  are 
too  fliort,  and  want  pathos.  This  he  lamented 
himfelf,  but  could  not  alter  his  method,  as  his 
cool  philofophical  head  would  not  admit  that 
warmth  and  unction  (as  the  French  call  it)  which 
is  very  delirable  in  an  application.  He  is  much 
more  evangelical  than  moft  of  his  admirers.  His 
paraphrafe  upon  the  evangeliils  appears  to  me  to 
drop  fliort  of  the  true  defign  of  the  evangeliils 
in  many  paiTages,  but  contain  many  excellent 
things.  His  translation  and  notes  upon  Ro- 
HAULT  I  have  not  read,  fmce  I  was  at  the  acad- 
emy, but  his  other  tracts  I  am  better  acquainted 
with.  He,  like  many  others,  gives  what  I  think 
a  wrong  idea  of  baptifm,  and  lays  too  much 
ftrefs  upon  it,  and  the  circum (lances  of  it.  I 
find  the  fame  fault  v;ith  fome  things  in  Sher- 
lock's 

"  I  had  a  great  intimacy  with  fome  of  the  moft  celebrated  of  the 
Dramatis  Verfo'icSy  as  Delane  Woodward,  my  fchool-fellovv,  Mrs. 
Frit£har.d,  Mrs.  YAXEa,  Mrs.  Palmer,  who  was  Mrs.  Prit- 
chard's  daughter,  and  Mr.  Palmkr,  her  hufband,  a  very  genteel 
comedian,  Mr.  Garrick,  &c.  But  where  are  they  ww  .'  yfhsre 
their  aftoaifiiing  talents  } 

Pulvis  £t  umbra  fumu?. 
Oh,that  people  would  in  Mm  view  well  weigh  the  contents  of  Dr. 
Stonhouse's  Book.f       To  their  complexion  we  mult  a// come  a4 

laft.     And  is  no  preparation  requifite  ? ." 

F'om  a  Correffondentt 

t  Every  Man's  Afliltant;  or,  The  Sick  Man's  FrieaO, 


92       Letters  to  a  You.ng  Clergyman,      Let.  21. 

lock's  book  upon  death,  which  I  have  lately  been 
reading  again  with  great  pleafure,  and  I  hope 
feme  profit.  Dr.  Clarke*s  Life  by  Bilhop 
HoADLEY  is  excellently  w^ell  written. 
,  I  have  procured  the  Bidiop  of  Cork's*  fer- 
mons,  recommended  to  me  by  Dr.SroNHOusE, 
and  have  read  feveraL  His  flyle  is  manly  and  ea- 
fy  ;  but  as  they  are  levelled  principally  againft 
the  Socinians,  they  are  rather  dry  and  contro- 
verfial,  than  ferious  and  pradical.  But  I  hope 
to  be  better  acquainted  with  him  foon,  and  that 
I  fliall  find  fome  things  more  plain  and  praiftical 
in  the  other  difcourfes.-f-  He  was  the  author  of 
a  deep  miCtaphyfical  treatife  on  the  Procedure  and 
Limits  of  the  Human  Underfiianding ;  which 
my  underftanding,  being  fo  limited,  could  never 
comprehend.  He  publifned  likewife  a  fmall 
trad  againft  the  reigning  toafb  in  Ireland — "  To 
the  immortal  memory  of  King  William,"  as 
if  it  were  praying  for  the  dead.  The  confequence 
of  which  was,  that  the  Whigs  there  ufed  to  add 
to  their  toaft — "  in  fpiteofthe  Bifhopof  Cork." 
I  will  fend  you  his  fermons  when  an  opportuni- 
ty offers  for  that  purpofe. 

"  What  a  world  do  we  live  in  !"  exclaims  Mr. 
*  *  *,  Ay,  in  truth,  it  is  bad  enough  ;  fo  our 
fathers,  grandfathers,  &c.  fmce  Adam  found  it. 
That  is  not  a  reafon,  as  I  tell  him,  why  we  Jliould 
not,  but  why  we  fliould,  endeavour  to  make  it 
better  ;  and  never  relax  in  matters  of  duty,  con- 
fcience,  and  attempts  to  do  good.  1  hope  he 
will  not  be  difcouraged.     *'  Do  what  you  can, 

whether 

*  Dr.  BRowNii. 
\  He  is  a  very  pra<5tical  writer, 


Let.  22.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       95 

whether  men  will  hear  or  forbear,"  is  our  rule  ; 
and  it  fhall  turn  to  us  for  a  tefcimony.  May 
God  keep  up  the  ardour  of  our  fpirits,  amidft  fo 
many  chiUing  circumflances,  and  favour  all  our 
pious  attempts  1 

The  fudden  changes  of  the  weather  have  af- 
fected me  much.  This  day  fe'nnight  Faren- 
heit's  thermometer  was  at  76  ;  yefterday  and 
to-day  at  56  and  57.  What  human  frame  but 
mud  be  in  fome  degree  affected  by  fo  great  a  va- 
riation. My  fpirits  this  week  have  rofe  as  high 
as  alacrity  :  but  when  they  get  dow^n  to  dejec- 
tion and  fear,  it  is  very  uncomfortable.  With 
fuch  changes  and  fenfations  God  is  pleafed  to 
exercife  us  poor  mortals,  "  to  make  our  hearts 
better."  I  willi  I  could  more  clearly  fee  this 
end  anRvering  in  my  own  cafe. 

Yours  affedionately,  Job  Orton. 

Mr.  Whiston  I  once  fpent  an  hour  or  two 
with,  and  was  much  pleafed  to  fee  and  converfe 
w^ith  the  honeft  old  man  ;  though  I  remember 
his  great  confidence  difpleafed  me.  He  was  w'alk- 
ing  from  Lonchn  into  Kutlandjliire^  where  his  fon- 
in-law  lived,  and  where  he  himfelf  died,  and  he 
called  and  breakfafted  at  Dr.  Doddridge's  at 
'Northampton. 


LETTER       XXIT. 

May,  1777. 
Dear  Sir, 

1 T  gives  me  a  very  fenfible  pleafure 
to  find,  that  my  letter  was  agreeable  to  Mr.  *  *  *, 

and 


94       Letters  to  a  Youn^  Clergyman,      Let.  22. 

and  any  way  contributed  to  alleviate  his  forrows. 
To  weep  with  them  that  v^eep,  and  to  comfort 
them  that  mourn,  are  mod  amiable,  as  well  as 
eflential  duties  of  our  holy  religion  ;  and  I  have 
been  fo  long  in  the  fchool  of  afflidlion  myfelf, 
that  I  hope  I  have  learned,  at  leafc,  thefe  leffons 
in  it  :  though  I  find,  and  much  lament  it,  that, 
among  many  eager  and  llorid  profeflfors  of  relig- 
ion, there  is  a  great  want  of  fenfibility  and  ten- 
dernefs.     Amidft  their  zeal  for  notions,  terms, 
and  phrafes,  there  is  fomething  wanting  to  fweet- 
en  and  foften  their  fpirits,  and  open  their  narrow 
hearts  to  that  compaflion  and  feeling  for  others, 
which  is  the  glory  of  the  man  and  the  Chriftian. 
In  fhort,  there  are  many  brutes  upon  two  legs ; 
and  woe  to  him,  who  is  dependent  upon  them, 
or  conneded  with  them  !     I  am  fomewbat  con- 
cerned, that  copies  of  my  letter  have  been  giv- 
en to  others,  as  it  was  written  very  haftily,  from 
the  fulnefs  of  a  fympathizing  heart  ;  and  I  can 
hardly  now  recoiled  a  thought  or  expreflion  ia 
it :  but  if  it  is  any  way  helpful  to  my  compan- 
ions in  affli<5lion,  I  fliall  rejoice.     If  its  contents 
had  any  thing  of  propriety  and'  (uitablenefs  m 
them,   it  arofe  entirely  from  hence — that  I  was 
much  affe6led  with  the  cccafion,   and  warmed 
with  the  fubjedl  ;  and  the  pafiions,  you  know, 
are  always  eloquent.     1  wifh  Miniflers  would 
attend  to  this  thought  ;  and  fee,  that  their  own 
hearts  be  firft  deeply  imprefled  ;  then  they  will 
fpeak  as  they  ought — a  word  in  feafon,  both  in 
the  pulpit  and  in  the  parlour. 

I  have  been  reading  Dr.  Campbell's  Faft- 
Sermotii  which  plsafes  me  much,  and  is,  I  think, 

calculated 


Let.  22.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       95 

calculated  to  do  great  good.*  I  wifh  it  were 
printed  in  a  cheap  form  to  give  away  among  the 
people  in  general.  Surely,  fome  of  our  loyalifts 
will  be  at  the  expenfe  of  doing  this,  when  the 
patriots  (as  they  call  themfelves)  are  at  fo  much 
pains  and  expenfe  to  reprint,  tranflate,  and  dif- 
perle  Dr.  Price's  Obfervations  on  Civil  Liberty, 
1  (hall  recomniend  it  to  all  thofe  with  whom  I 
have  any  acquaintance.  But  I  hope  the  nation 
is  growing  wifer,  calmer,  and  more  loyal.  All 
my  neighbouring  brethren,  as  far  as  I  can  judge, 
are  among  the  quiet  in  the  land. 

I  attend  to  Dr.  *  *'s  obfervation  about  the 
Magdalene  Hofpital.  There  is  no  evidence  in  the 
New  Teftament,  that  Mary  Magdalene  was  a  no- 
torious finner.  On  the  contrary,  Ihe  was  a  pious 
lady  of  quality,  who  had  been  troubled  with  an 
epilepfy,  or  fome  diforder,  which  the  Jews  ufed 
to  impute  to  the  agency  of  one,  two,  three,  or 
more  demons,  according  to  its  flrength  and  vir- 
ulency.  Nor  is  there  any  proof,  thaty^^  was  the 
woman,  who  had  been  a  fmner,  and  wafhed  the 
feet  of  Chrift.  See  Doddridge  on  the  place. 
Dr.  Lardner  publiflied  a  fmall  trad  to  (hew 
how  abfurdly  the  proftitutes'  holj^ital  was  called 
the  Magdalene  Houfe,  and  what  refledion  it  threw 
on  the  name  and  memory  of  Alary  Alagdalene : 
but  notwithftanding  what  he  faid  on  the  fubjed, 
it  continued  to  be  called  by  that  name. 

If  the  Icheme  of  Redemption  be  repre- 

fented,  as  Chrift's  prevailing  upon  the  Father  to 
(hew  mercy  and  confer  favour  to  his  creatures, 

who 

*  The  Sermoa  referred  to  is  on  the  Nature,  Extent;  and  Import- 
ance of  the  Duty-  of  Allegiiiice. 


96       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  23. 

who  was  otherwlfe  read}^  and  dlfpofed  to  do  it,  it 
is  a  very  falfe  and  unfcriptural  fcheme.  But  what 
is  more  common,  than  for  a  parent  to  forgive 
a  child  at  the  interceffion  of  a  common  friend, 
when  the  parent  is  difpofed  to  do  it ;  is  glad  of 
fuch  an  intercelTor,  that  he  might  not  punifh  ; 
and  defires  or  appoints  fuch  a  perfon  to  interpofe, 
that  he  might  fecure  his  authority,  and  the  child's 
reverence;  and  not  lead  him  to  think  he  doth 
not  fee  his  diilike,  or  will  ealily  pafs  by  olfences 
committed  againfh  him.  Let  me  advife  you  to 
read  Tomkins's  Chrifl  the  Mediator  again  and 
again, until  you  have  well  digefted  his  fcheme.  It 
is  the  beft  book  on  the  fubje^l  I  am  acquainted 
with,  and  fully  confutes  all  the  Socinian  writers. 

God  is  merciful  to  our  land  in  giving  us  fine 
refrefliing  fliowers,  which  have  put  a  new  face 
on  this  dry  part  of  the  country.  But  they  af- 
fed  my  feeble  conftitution,  and  I  have  been  very 
languid  and  low,  though  every  place  and  being 
around  me,  fmce  this  change  of  weather,  fmiles 
and  rejoices.  May  I  grow  more  fit  for  the  world 
of  everlafting  fpringand  health,  holinefs  and  joy  ! 
Continue  your  prayers  for  me.  ■' 

1  am  your  affedtionate  and  faithful  friend,  and 
humble  fervant,  Job  Orton. 

LETTER       XXIII. 

Dear  Sir,  >^^  ^'  ^777- 

1  COULD  net  open  your  laft  letter 
without  tearing  away  at  the  fame  time  a  part  of 

the 


Let.  23.      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       97 

the  writing  contained  in  it,  which  is  bad,  efpec- 
ially  when  written  in  (liort-hand  :  therefore  it  is  - 
bell,  when  you  have  gotten  down  to  the  bottom 
of  the  firft  page  of  your  paper,  to  turn  to  the 
next,  that  is,  the  back  of  that,  and  not  to  go  on 
obliquely,  as  you  have  done  in  this  letter.  Al- 
ways take  care  to  leave  that  part  of  the  paper, 
where  the  feal  is  to  be,  blank,  that  the  writing  may 
not  be  torn.  I  had  a  letter  from  a  friend  lately, 
who  defired  me  to  tranfad  a  little  bufmefs  for 
him,  which  v/as  the  chief  purport  of  his  letter  ; 
but  he  had  unfortunately  put  the  wafer  on  the 
moft  material  part  of  the  commiffion,  fo  that  I 
could  not  know  what  he  had  defired  me  to  do  for 
him.  This  you  will  fay  is  an  odd  kind  of  an  in- 
troduction to  a  letter  :  but  I  have  heard  worfe, 
and  leis  pertinent  introdudions  to  many  fermons. 
I  have  often  admired  the  character,  which  a  great 
lady  in  France y  once  gave  to  one  of  the  officers  of 
that  court — "  that  he  was  excellent  at  little 
things."  There  is  more  in  this  than  mofl;  peo- 
ple are  aware  of. 

I  have  fent  you  Chandler's  Commentary , 
which  I  wiili  you  to  read  carefully,  as  it  will  en- 
large your  mind  and  ideas.  He  has  fome  valua- 
ble criticifms,  but  they  are  not  all  equally  fatis- 
fadory.  I  would  not  have  you  preach  in  his 
flyie  and  manner,  but  you  will  do  well  to  imitate 
his  flrong  (enfe  and  good  reafoning  in  plainer 
language  ;  and  there  are  fome  very  excellent  and 
fhriking  remarks  in  his  practical  reiiedlions. 

I  have  read  Mifs  Moor's  EJays  to  Young  La* 

dieSy  with  which  I  am  very  much  pleafed  ;    as 

containing  excellent  prudential  cautions,  and  ad- 

1  mirable 


9^       Letters  ta  a  Young  Clergyman.      Let.  a^^v 

mirable  religious  maxims.  She  writes  fo  well,  fa 
tifefully,  and  with  fuch  a  ilrong  tindure  of  ra- 
tional and  manly  piety,  that  I  would  have  every 
reader  enter  fully  into  her  fentiments  and  advices, 
Vhich  are  adapted  to  do  much  good.* 

Blair's  Sermons  are  indeed  very  judicious, 
lively,  elegant,  and  evangelical  y  but  not  fuffi- 
ciently  plain,  I  think,  for  common  readers.  I 
hope  they  will  be  of  much  fervice  among  the  ju- 
dicious and  polite,  who  will  probably  be  inclined 
to  read  them. 

I  had  a  letter  lately  from  Dr.  *  *  :  a  part  of 
my  anfwer  to  which  was  as  follows.  "  I  have 
rode  out  feveral  times  this  week  ;  as  I  hope  you 
have  done.  It  is  good  for  your  health  :  it  is  alfo 
good  for  one's  temper.  I  have  often  found  the 
benefit  of  this  receipt. 

*Tis  better,  friend,  to  labour  than  to  fret : 
To  cure  the  fpleen,  there's  nothing  like  a  fweat. 
When  times  are  bad,  and  neighbours  never  worfe^ 
Men,  manners  to  reform,  come,  take  your  horfe. 
A  mile  reforms  them  :  but  if  aught  remain 
Uupurg'd,  'tis  but  to  ride  as  far  again. 

1  have  lately  loft  a  valuable  friend  here;  which 
event  has  m.uch  depreffed  my  fpirits.  I  am  juft 
returned  from  an  excurfion  into  Stafford/Jure^ 
about  three  miles  off,  and  find  my  fpirits  better  : 
fo  that  1  hope  to  be  able  to  day  to  vifit  the  afflid- 
cd  widow  and  family." 

1  am  pleafed  and  thankful,  that  I  am  qui- 
et here,  and  that  I  can  (as  I  think  St.  Jerom 
fiiys)  retire  to  my  Tugurium^  and  blefs  God,  that 
1  dare  fleep  when  1  can,  and  fay,  that  aught  is 
my  own  ^  and  there  deplore  my  barren  miniftry 

for 

*  Mr.  Ortox  wifhed  there  had  been  fewer  French  terms,  aa* 
iiJwJ  words  made  ufe  of  in  thefc  admirable  Eliays. 


Let.  £3.      Letters  t9  a  Yomig  Clergyman.       99 

for  thirty  years  almoft ;  and  implore  the  bleffing 
of  Heaven  upon  the  world  and  the  church.  I  am 
better  and  worfe,  as  to  my  health,  as  ufual,  but  it 
never  verges  to  the  borders  of  being  well.  But 
when  a  man  is  turned  oijtxty,  he  muft  expe6l  to 
fmk  and  decay.  Some  noted  writer  of  antiquity 
feys,  "  It  is  unbecoming  a  man,  when  arrived  t© 
that  age,  to  hold  out  his  hand  to  a  phyfician  to 
feel  his  pulfe.  He  fhould  be  content  to  march 
off  the  ftage."  I  wifli  I  could  do  more  in  thq 
devotional  way  ;  but  I  truft,  that  He  who  knows 
Gur  frame,  will  accept  a  willing  mind,  and  honeft 
intentions  to  ferve  his  facred  caule. 

I  am  your  affed:ionate 

Job  Orton. 
I  am  concerned,  left  3^ou  fhould  injure  your 
health  by  too  clofe  an  application  to  your  ftudies. 
Walk  out  often ;  and  when  you  write  or  read, 
be  fure  to  keep  yourfelf  in  as  upright  a  pofture  a* 
you  can.  Write  upon  an  inclined  plane  ;  but  a 
Handing  defk  is  beft.  Nothing  is  more  injurious 
to  the  health  of  young  divines  and  fludents,  thaa 
Jooping* 

*  "  The  attitude  of  a  man  at  fludy,  fays  Dr.  Tissot,  cannot  but  b« 
hurtful  to  health.  The  folds  which  the  veffels  are  thrown  into  at  the 
top  of  the  thigh  and  in  the  bend  of  the  knees,  while  a  man  is  fittings 
interrupt  the  circulation  in  the  lower  extremities,  which  in  procefs 
of  time  muft  neceflarily  fuffer  from  this  circumftance  ;  the  bending 
of  the  body  conftrainsthe  abdominal  vifcera,  difturbs  their  fundlion:, 
and  the  digeftive  powers  are  difordered  from  a  new  caufe.  Friftions 
are  alfo  of  much  ufe,  and  not  to  be  negie<5led.  If  every  morning  we 
rub  tlie  whole  body,  perfpiration  is  encouraged,  and  the  circulatioa 
quickened  ;  which  is  indeed  fo  much  accelerated  by  ftrong  fridlions 
continued  for  a  long  time,  that  in  fome  degree  they  fupply  the  want 
ofexercife.  The  ancients,  who  were  fenfible  of  all  the  advantages 
refulting  from  this  pradlice,  not  only  ufed  it  as  a  remedy,  but  alfo  aj  a 
tlaily  method  of  preferving  health." — Dr.  Tissot  on  the  Difcafei  inci' 
tiSJtt  t9  JJtuary  and  Sedentary  Ferfonsyp.  65,  17^,  fecond  edition. 

LETTER. 


ioo      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,     Let.  24. 
LETTER       XXIV. 


Nov. 


Dear  Sir, 


20,  1777. 


I 


HAVE  a  Mifcellany  to  fend  you, 
and  it  is  fome  coriifort  to  me,  that  it  will  cod  you 
nothing  in  poftage. 

I  can  make  great  allowance  for  the  little  indif- 
cretions  of  Mr.  ***,  as  he  is  fo  young  a  man. 
He  knew  the  great  fenfibility  and  delicacy  of  Mr. 
**,  and  therefore  Ihould  have  faid  nothing  of  the 
bufmefs  which  he  communicated  to  him.  We 
muft  deal  cautioufly  with  perfons  of  his  great 
fcrupuloiity  and  exadlnefs,  and  efpecially  never 
divulge,  or  give  the  mofi:  diilant  intimation  of 
what  they  wiih  to  have  concealed.  It  may  ap- 
pear to  us  a  trifle  ;  but  if  it  feems  important  to 
them,  that  is  a  fufficient  reafon  why  w^e  fhould 
be  upon  our  guard.  And  it  is  beil  always  to  err 
on  that  hand,  and  to  be  particularly  folicitous  not 
to  utter  every  thing  one  may  hear  from  a  friend. 
We  ought  to  fuppofe  he  fpeaks  to  us  in  confi- 
dence, though  there  may  be  no  exprefs  charge  or 
feeming  deiire  of  fecrecy.  If  a  perfon,  for  whom 
we  have  a  great  regard,  (hews  us  any  particular  at- 
tention, and  concern  for  our  fervice  and  interefl, 
it  is  highly  proper  to  thank  God  for  it,  and  to 
fnew  them  ail  gratitude  ;  but  to  fay  as  little  of  it 
as  may  be  to  others.  As  Dr.  Fordyce's  Ad- 
drejfes  to  Young  Men,  which  I  am  reading,  (in 
which,  amidft  great  pompolity  of  language,  and 
fludied  antithefes,  there  is  much  good  fenfe,  and 
vidvice  fuited  to  their  cafe)  and  which  now  lie  be- 
fore 


CiET.  24-     Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       loi 

fore  me,  and  your  young  friend  may  not  have 
feen  them,  I  will  tranfcribe  a  paiTage  from  them 
which  you  may  communicate  to  him  or  not,  as 
you  think  proper. — "  From  a  confcioufnefs  of 
right  intentions,  from  the  honefl  ardour  of  their 
natures,  from  the  apprehenfive  (implicity  fo  inci- 
dent to  generous  minds,  they  are  apt  to  forget 
certain  forms,  ceremonies,  and  precautions. 
Thefe,  however  fmall  in  themfelves,  have  often 
n  mighty  ftroke  in  the  affliirs  of  life,  and  efpecial- 
ly  go  further,  as  they  are  obferved  or  neglected, 
.to  efcape  or  incur  cenfure,  to  obtain  or  forfeit 
praife,  than  the  inexperienced  or  incautious  will 
eafily  conceive.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted,  that 
fome  excellent  fpirlts  fail  of  appearing  excellent 
in  a  number  of  cafes,  for  want  of  thefe  inferior 
attentions,  which  ought  by  no  means  to  be  omit^ 
ted,  &c."    Vol  I.  p.  loi. 

I  am  glad  jou  are  pleafed  with  the  fmall  pref- 
.cnt  I  made  you  of  m.y  Sacramental  Meditations. 
1  wilh  for  your  prayers,  that  they  may  be  inftru- 
mental  in  doing  good.  I  think  my  printing 
.work  is  now  done.*     I  hope  1  am  thankful  for 

the 

*  This  was  Mr..ORTON's  lafl  publication  ;  relative  to  which  the 
Editor  of  thefe  Letters  begs  leave  to  fubjoin  the  following  teitimonies 
borne  to  it. 

■  The  late  Rev.  Mr.  Hunter,  Vicar  of  IFeaverham^  in  C/ie/tire,  the 
author  of  feveral  valuable  publications,  wrote  thus  of  it  to  a  friend : 
«  Upon  your  recommendation,  I  have  ordered  and  repeatedly  read 
Mr.  Orton's  Sacramental  Meditations.  I  think  I  never  read  a  book, 
better  calculated  for  tiie  purpofes  of  fpiritual  improvement.  The 
Ihortnefs  of  the  fe61ions,  the  plainnefs  of  the  ftyle,  the  clearnefs 
of  the  method,  render  it  peculiarly  fit  for  the  reading  and  retention  of 
the  uninflru6led  in  low,  and  the  indolent  in  higli  life  :  whilft  a  flow 
of  piety,  an  apt  and  happy  application  of  fcripture,  an  experimental 
fenfe  of  religion,  and  a  profound  knowledge  of  the  divine  life,  and  of 
-the  deep  things  of  God,  mufl  recommend  it  to  the  perufal  and  ap- 
probation of  tijofe  who  have  made  the  greateft  progrefs  yi  goodnefs.'* 


102      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.     Let.  24. 

the  acceptance,  and  I  truftjurefulnefs,  with  which 
fome  of  my  publications  have  been  honoured. 
Other  authors  have  a  more  (liining  province,  in 
learned, ingenious,  and  philofophical  pieces;  I  am 
content  with  doing  good  to  fouls. 

What  will  become  of  my  Expofitions  on  the 
Old  Teftam.ent  I  know  not.  I  fear  the  plan  I 
propofed  for  interweaving  them  with  Clark's 
notes,  in  the  manner  of  Whitby  and  Dod- 
BRiDGE,  adding  a  pradical  improvement  at  the 
end  of  each  chapter,  will  not  be  executed.  I  wifh 
it  may;  but  I  can  do  nothing  to  it  myfelf ;  and 
the  perfon  from  whom  I  hoped  for  the  execution 
will  not,  I  fear,  attempt  it,  though  he  hath 
fhrength  and  ability  of  body  and  mind  to  do  it 
foon,  and  do  it  well.  I  mud  leave  it  to  Provi- 
dence, and  thofe  who  may  come  after  me.* 

Dr, 

Dr.  T'JCKEU,  the  prefeat  venerable  Dean  of  Glotice/ler,  wrote  of  it 
to  the  fame  perfon  in  the  following  manner. — **  Pray  thank  Mr.  Or- 
TON  for  his  book,  in  mv  name.  I  am  charmed,  and  I  hope  edified 
too  with  it ;  which  I  make  my  coaflant  companion.  As  I  read,  I 
am  delighted  to  6nd  the  great  divine,  and  the  able  controverfialili, 
concealing  himfelf  under  the  better  chara6ler  of  the  pious  and  humble 
Chriflian,  and  avoiding  all  the  parade  of  human  learning.  A  man 
who  was  lefs  a  fcholar,  and  lels  a  Chriflian,  would  have  ftutfed  his 
bock  with  a  thoufand  quotations." 

The  late  excellent  Dr.  Adams,  Mafler  of  Temhole  College,  Oxford, 
ia  a  letter  to  Mr.  Orton,  writes  thus  : — "  The  defign  of  your  book. 
was  quite  new  to  me,  and  i?,  I  think,  happily  executed.  In  our  large 
communions  (fuch  as  I  have  often  feea  at  St.  Chad's)  it  is  the  very 
book  I  Ihould  wifli  in  every  one's  hands.  The  De^n  of  Gloucefler  is 
much  pleafedwith  it  ;  as  he  is  indeed  with  all  your  writings.  You 
Jiave  perhaps  done  more  good  of  the  beil  fort,  under  the  neccffity 
of  retirement,  than  you  could  have  done  in  better  health,  which  uni- 
verfally  brings  diffipatioii  along  with  it.  This  is  a  confolation  of  the 
highefl  and  nobleft  kind,  vv'hich  I  am  perfuaded  you  have  a  right  to, 
and  I  hope  God  will  in  your  weakeft  liours  enable  you  to  take  to 
yourfelf." 

^  Mr.  Orton's  Expofitions  on  the  Old  Teftament,  with  devotional 
r.nd  pra(5lical  Reflections,  for  the  ufe  of  Families,  are  nou'pubiifliing 
hy  the  Rev.  Robert  Gentleman,  of  Kidderminfler,  in  6  volumes 
odlavo,  and  have  met  with  great  encouragement,  Theiifch  volume 
of  wiiith  was  publiflied  in  March  Jlaft. 


Let.  24.     Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman*      103 

Dr.  Taylor's  Paraphrafe  on  the  Epiftle  to  ih( 
Romans^  is  an  elaborate  and  learned  work,  con* 
taining  many  excellent  things,  and  many  impor- 
tant and  valuable  criticilms,  and  well  deierves 
your  careful  perufal ;  but  I  think  he  hath  too 
much  limited  the  Apoftle's  fenfe.  Few  perfons 
have  ever  fludied  the  bible  more  than  he,  or 
have  been  better  acquainted  with  fcriptural 
phrafeology ;  but  he  was  too  much  warped  by 
his  own  theories.  You  will  find  many  good  re- 
marks upon  this  performance  in  Doddridge's 
preface  to  the  fecond  editioii  of  his  Sermons  on 
Regeneration.  His  Key  to  the  Apoftolic  IVritingi 
is  prefixed  to  his  paraphrafe,  and  is  defigned  to 
explain  the  chief  phrafes  made  ufe  of  in  the  Epif- 
tles ;  but  which  he  appears  to  me  to  have  mifi:a- 
ken  in  many  infi:ances.  Though  I  do  not  like 
his  general  fcheme  on  the  Romans  and  his  Key, 
yet  his  notion  of  the  doctrine  of  eiedtion  feems 
right  and  fcriptural. 

I  queftion  whether  Dr.  Doddridge's  Sermom 
uga'nift  Popery  will  ever  be  pubhlhed.  What  the 
Dodor  fays  of  Mr.  Grove  as  a  v>^rlter  is,  that 
*'  he  refembles  Watts,  but  is  not  equally  po- 
etical ;  that  he  has  many  judicious  and  new 
thoughts ;  with  great  ferioufnefs  and  fweetnefs.'* 
B;fliop  Burnett's  Conclujion  of  the  Hijlory  of 
his  own  Times,  was  -printed  feparately  in  a  fmall 
form  a  few  years  ago,  and  many  of  them  fold.  I 
Icarce  know  a  book  better  calculated  to  de  good. 
HiLDROp's  Mifcellanies  are  entertaining,  and 
may  furniOi  you  with  fome  materials  in  your  ad- 
drelTes  to  your  J'Vormington  farmers.  Reeves's 
Jpologies  of  the  Fathers y  in  two  volumes  odavo, 

1% 


f  64      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,     Let.  'z.-t^ 

is  a  valuable  tranflation  of  feveral  iaiportant 
books.  Have  you  ever  feen  ^hort  Meditations  on 
Seletl  Portions  of  Scripture  .^*  If  not,  I  recom- 
mend it  to  you,  as  containing  the  fubflance  of 
the  heads  and  principal  thoughts  of  about  fifty 
excellent  fermons. 

Judge  AsHURST  is,  I  prefume,  of  the  fame 
family  as  Sir  Henry  and  Sir  Samuel  Ash- 
URST,  who  were  both  of  them  men  of  eminent 
wifdom  and  piety.  Sir  Henry  Ashurst 
wrote  the  life  of  Mr.  Nathaniel  Heywood, 
an  ejeded  Minifler  .of  LancaJJiire  ;  fo  fond  was 
lie  of  him. 

Your  advice  to  me  to  eat  my  own  book,  is  very 
good.  But  I  daily  ftand  correded  by  my  own 
publications,  as  it  is  eafier  to  give  advice  than  to 
take  it.  The  hot  weather  hurts  me  ;  and  now 
this  cool  damp  air  hurts  me  again.  So  fubje^ 
2,m  I  to  fkyey  influences,  and  the  fport  of  every 
paltry  atom.-}-  But  be  the  weather  fair  or  foul, 
the  fliip  is  ftill  under  fail,  near  the  port  :  and 
4nay  it  be  the  haven,  where  I  would  be  ! 
Yours  affedionately. 

Job  Orton^o 

*  By  the  Rev.  Daniel  Turner,  oi  Abingdon,  Berh^ 
f  The  Afcarides. 


LETTER      XXV. 

T^         c  Feh»  i778f. 

Dear  Sir,  ^ ' 

X.  HOUGH  there  is  nothing  in  youf 
iaft  letter  which  requires  an  immediate  anfwer, 
yet  I  am  willing  to  write  to  fo  pun^u^l  a  corref- 
pondent.  1  hayc 


Let.  25.     Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.      105 

I  have  been  looking  over  Sal  lust's  Hijiory  of 
Cat  dint's  Confpiracy  ;  in  which  I  think  you  will 
find  fome  things  fuitable  to  your  purpofe,  partic- 
ularly in  his  fpeech  to  the  confpirators ;  which 
you  will  meet  with  towards  the  beginning  of  the 
hiftory :  where  he  pleads  liberty,  as  a  ground  for 
his  undertaking;  but  mentions  honour,  power, 
wealth,  &c.  as  alfo  in  their  plan,  and  throws 
out  fome  bitter  reflexions  asiainft  the  minifters 

o 

and  placemen  of  thofe  days.  Qiiin  igitiir  exper^ 
gifcimini  f  En  illa^  illa^  quam  [ape  optajiis^  liber-* 
fas ;  prat  ere  a  divitia^  decus^  gloria  in  oculis  fit  a 
flinty  iffc.  In  my  edition,  is  the  following  note 
onthQ  word  libertas.  Tacitus  vers  (lib.  9.  An- 
nal.)  falfo  liber tatis  vocabidurn  obtendi  ab  iis,  qui 
privatim  degeneres^  in  publicum  exitioji^  nihil  fpei^ 
niji  per  difcordias,  habeani,  Grafw,  one  of  the 
variorum  authors.  There  is  a  great  deal  to  the 
fame  purpofe  in  Cataline's  fpeech,  and  in  other 
parts  of  the  hiftory  ;  but  it  is  near  forty  years  ago 
iince  I  lafh  read  it,  which  was  v/ith  the  pupils  at 
Northampton,  in  1 739.  I  have  long  thought  there 
are  many  paffages  in  the  account  of  that  confpir* 
acy  very  parallel  to  the  prefent  cafe  of  our  na» 
tion,  between  loyal  men,  and  thofe  who  are  call- 
ed patriots,  and  who  choofe  by  a  figure  of  fpeech, 
to  call  themfelves  Whigs.  Many  are  angry  with 
me,  becaufe  I  difcountenance  their  difloyalty  j 
but  I  defpife  their  anger,  as  much  as  I  diflikc 
their  principles  and  condud.  I  would  willingly 
be  doing  fome  good  while  I  am  here  ;  and  to  pro- 
mote loyalty,  fubjedion  and  peace,  is  doing  good, 
I  think  I  have  already  foftened  fome  fharp  fpir- 
its  amongfi  us,  at  lead  brought  them  to  hold 

their 


io6      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,     Let.  25. 

their  tongues,  or  to  be  lefs  confident.  I  fhall  be 
forry  to  find  that  your  neighbour  Mr.  *  *,  ex- 
pofes  himfelf  and  his  miniftry  by  his  pohtics.  An 
ancient  Bifhop  fays,  "  What  hath  an  ecclefiaftic 
to  do  with  pohtics  ?"  Lend  him  Palmer's 
Abridgment  of  Baxter's  Reformed  Pajior, 

How  can  we  be  guilty  by  nature,  according  to 
Mr.  ****s  ideas  of  original  fin,  fince  guilt  is  a 
confcioufnefs  of  having  acted  wrong  ?  Our  guilt 
and  mifery  confiil  in  having  finned,  or  in  confe- 
quence  of  our  fins.  Jeremiah  calls  children  inno^ 
cents,  Jer.  ii.  34.  and  Chriji  fays.  Except  ye  be  con- 
verted and  become  as  little  children,  &c.  Matt, 
xviii.  3.  I  cannot  reconcile  thefe  palTages,  and 
many  more,  with  the  high  notions  of  fome  perfons 
concerning  the  do6lrine  of  original  fin.  What 
I  underftand  by  that  doctrine  is,  (and  which  1 
take  to  be  a  fadl)  that  as  we  are  born  with  lefs  per- 
fe6t  conftitutions,  fo  the  paffions  are  ftronger  and 
lefs  governable,  and  thereby  we  ar^  more  eafily 
led  into  fin.  I  have  known  fo  many  inftances 
in  which  perfons  have  excufed  their  fins  and  bad 
tempers,  by  pleading  original  fin,  that  I  would 
be  extremely  cautious  how  I  gave  the  moft  dif- 
tant  encouragement  to  fuch  abfurd  and  danger- 
ous pleas.  So  likewife  by  ajfnrance,  I  mean  only 
a  fatisfa6tory  e3indence,  removing  all  painful  fears 
and  doubts,  though  not  every  flight  fufpicion. 
See  Mason  on  Self  Knowledge,  part  i.  ch.  xviii. 
and  Bennet's  Chrifiian  Oratory,  fed.  2.  p.  569. 
sf  ]y[j.^  **  *  ^Qgg  j^Q|.  i^nQ^  the  fad  of  the  Spirit's 

fealing,  comforting  influence."  The  only  dif- 
ference between  us  is,  that  he  thinks  it  cannot 
ibe  particularly  known  to  be  the  work  of  the  Spir- 


i.ET. 25.     Lett er 5  to  a  Young  Clergyman,      ic*^ 

it,  though  he  allows  it  to  be  fo.  I  think  that  m 
fome  caies  it  may  be  known.  And  the  lives  of 
fome  of  the  beft  and  moft  rational  Chriftians  lliew, 
that  they  thought  they  could  diilinguifh  between 
a  divine  impreflion,  and  the  natural  working  of 
their  own  minds.  Many  texts  I  think  encour- 
age this  thought,  efpecially  the  following.  Rom* 
viii.  16.  2  Cor.  i.  22.  v.  5.  Eph.  i.  13. 

My  Book  of  Almanacks  is  of  no  great  con- 
fequence.  The  Almanack  I  make  ufe  of  is 
Wing's,  which  I  think  one  of  the  befb.  There 
I  keep  a  journal  of  the  weather,  and  infert  who 
preached  the  charity-fermons  here  and  at  ShreziJ- 
bury^  and  what  was  colle6:ed  ;  alfo  any  particular 
occurrence  relating  to  the  town.  I  alfo  make 
references  in  it  to  the  birth-days  of  fome  of  my 
friends,  not  that  I  may  drink  their  health,  but 
pray  for  them.  I  find  it  of  fome  ufe  to  have  re- 
courfe  to  this,  as  to  dates  and  times.  And  it  is 
as  an  amufement,  and  attended  with  fome  advan- 
tage to  take  a  tranfient  furvey  of  paft  occurrences. 
I  will  give  you  a  fpecimen  of  the  memorandums 
of  the  laft  month. '*  Feb.  5th,  Mr.  Y  **  di- 
ed— a  friend  of  mine  at  W  *  *  *. — 9th,  The  day 
fiflier  S  *  *  died — to  be  thankful  for  her  piety  and 
ufefulnefs — and  to  pray  for  her  family. — 14th, 
My  nephew  B.S**'s  birth-day — to  pray  for  him. 
— 2ift,  Public  fail.— 23d,  Mr.  T**  died,  one 
of  my  former  hearers. — 24th,  J.  S**'s  birth-day 
* — to  pray  for  him. — 25th,  W.  S**,  a  relation 
of  mine,  died."  This  is  the  diary  I  keep.  Dr. 
Doddridge,  as  far  as  I  can  recollect,  (for  I 
have  not  his  diary  by  me)  ufed  particular  marks 
for  days  well  fpent,  ill  fpent,  and  indifferent. 

But 


Xo8      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,     Let.  25. 

But  a  perion  may  eafily  contrive  any  thing  of 
that  kind  for  himfelf. 

Bifliop  Newton's  Dijjertations  on  the  PropJie- 
ties  are  excellent  books,  and  will  enrich  your  in- 
terleaved bible  with  many  good  interpretations. 
But  his  plan  upon  the  Revelation  is  not,  I  think, 
the  right  one.  He  and  Dr.  Halifax,  who  late- 
ly publilhied  fome  difcourfes  preached  at  Bifhop 
War  burton's  Ledure,  both  impHcity  follow 
Mr.  Mede.  When  I  was  engaged  m  pubHfhing 
Dr.  Doddridge's  Expofitor  on  the  Revelation, 
I  ftudied  that  book  as  carefully  as  I  could,  and  I 
found  more  confiftency  and  fatisfadion  in  Lov/- 
MAN  on  the  Revelation,  than  any  other  com- 
mentator upon  it. 

Mr.  Robinson,  the  author  of  the  Plea  for 
the  Divinity  of  Chrift,  hath  not  received  a  regu- 
lar education  ;  but  is  a  man  of  a  furprifing  ge- 
nius, and  vaft  application.  He  doth  not  appear 
to  me  to  under ftand  the  controverfy  about  the 
Trinity  ;  and  has  mifapplied  feveral  texts,  which 
I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  pointing  out  to  him. 
He  frequently  contradidts  himfelf,  being  in  fome 
parts  of  his  performance  a  Sabellian^  while  in 
others  he  feems  to  favour  the  Athanafian  doc- 
trine. In  reality,  I  take  him  to  be  a  Sabellian^ 
or  elfe  I  do  not  underftand  him.  1  wifh  none 
would  meddle  v/ith  that  controverfy,  but  thofe 
who  underftand  it.  I  have  read  many  treatifes 
upon  the  fubjed,  and  fome  angry  and  unchari- 
table ones,  whofe  authors  did  not  underftand  it, 
but  wrote  without  any  clear  ideas.  I  think  Mr. 
Robinson's  book  will  be  ufeful,  to  fliew  the 
difficulty  of  the  point,  and  to  abate  the  confi- 
dence and  cenforioufnefs  of  many.  Your 


Let.  26.     Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       109 

Your  relations  and  friends  here  are  well.  I 
blefs  God  I  am  as  well  as  ufual,  but  find  old  age 
gaining  upon  me  by  long  flride^.  Continue 
your  prayers  for  me,  that  I  may  be  ready  when- 
ever the  fummons  comes,  and  that  all  may  be 
well  at  laft.  As  a  Scotch  Divine  faid  in  his  dying 
moments,  fo  I  would  fay  :  "  If  I  do  not  come 
up  to  Henry's  glory,  and  Watts's  glory,  and 
Doddridge's  glory,  I  fliall  be  well,  if  I  win-in  * 
among  them." 

Your  afFedionate  friend,  &c. 

Job  Orton. 

*  The  expreflion  oi  'winning-hiy  is  a  Scottidfm,  and  fignifies  to 
get-in f  or  rather  to  gain-in,  among  them.  We  ufe  the  word  for  tvin- 
ning  a  prize.  So  in  our  tranllation,  that  I  may  win  Chrijf,  'A£Q^£(jCil 
gain  Chri^  as  a  treafurc,  or  fomething  extremely  valuable,  fhil,  iii.  8. 


LETTER      XXVL 

Sept.  20,  1778. 
Dear  Sir, 

XT  is  common  for  the  lawyers,  when 
they  prefer  a  bill  in  chancery  againft  a  perfon,  to 
crave  leave  of  the  chancellor  to  mend  the  bill. 
This  I  will  endeavour  to  do  with  relation  to  my 
letter  ofyefterday  j  v^hich  I  wrote  in  a  hurry, 
as  I  was  not  willing  to  make  the  meiTenger  wait. 

1  wifh  your  friend  Mr.  *  *  may  have  an 

opportunity  of  reading  a  dilcourfe,  written  by 
Dr.  Wish  art.  Principal  of  the  College  of 
Edinburgh^  on  the  Inefficacy  of  a  Death-Bed  Re- 
pentance., or  fome  fuch  title,  as  it  is  an  excellent 
piece:  or,  a  fermon  of  Mr.  Newsman's  (late 
K  Minifter 


no      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.     Let.  26. 

Minifler  of  Carter- Lane ^  London)  on  the  Cafe  of 
the  penitent  Thief,  which  is  a  very  judicious  dii- 
courfe.  As  to  vifiting  condemned  malefaElors^  it  is 
very  proper  :  for  even  a  good  man  may  be  hur- 
ried into  fome  capital  crime  ;  or  repentance  may 
begin  immediately  after  the  fa£l :  at  leaft,  it  is 
doing  the  befl:  that  can  be  done  to  alleviate  fu- 
ture mifery  ;  and  every  thing  iliould  be  tried, 
vi^hen  eternity  is  near.  There  are  fome  excel- 
lent reflections  on  fuch  fcenes  in  Archbiihop 
TiLLOTSOiv's  Two  Sermons  on  theLong-fuffer- 
ingof  God,  from  Ecclef.afies  viii.  11.  particular- 
at  the  end  oF  the  firll  fermon.  And  I  am  much 
ox  his  muid  on  this  fubje£l:.* 

Have  you  feen  an  Efj'ay  on  the  Connexion  be- 
tween the  Docfrine  of  Jnfiification  bv  the  imputed 
Right eovfnefs  of  Chriff,  and  Holinefs  of  Life  (wrote 
by  Withers?  00  N,  a  Scotch  Divine,  and  author 
of  the  Ecclefiailical  Charaderiftics)  dedicated  to 
Mr.  Hervey  ?    It  was  fent  to  me  feveral  years 

-go* 

*  "  To  fpeak  ray  mind  freely  in  this  mafter,  (fays  the  Archbifhop) 
I  have  no  great  opinion  of  that  extraordinary  comfort  and  confidence 
v/hich  fome  have,  upon  a  uvlden  repentance  for  great  aid  flagrant 
.crimes,  becaufe  I  ca'-iuotdifceru  any  fuiiicient  ground  for  it.  I  think, 
great  humihty  and  dejeilioa  of  mind,  and  a  doubtful  apprehenfion  of 
their  condition,  next  slmoil  to  defpair  of  it,  would  much  better  be- 
come them;  becaufe  their  cafe  is  really  fo  very  doubtful  in  itfeJf. 
There  is  great  reafon  for  the  repentance  of  fuch  perfons,  and  it  be- 
comes them  well ;  but  I  fee  very  httle  reafon  for  their  great  comfort 
a^id  confidence,  nor  does  it  become  their  circumflances  and  con- 
dition. Let  them  imitate,  as  nervr  as  they  can,  the  behaviour  of  the 
penitent  Thief,  the  only  example  the  fcripture  hath  left  us  of  a  late 
repentance  that  proved  etfecflua!,  wIto  gave  the  greatefl  teflimony 
that  could  be  of  a  penitent  formw  for  his  fms,  and  cf  his  faith  in  the 
Saviour  of  the  w<^rld,  by  a  generous  and  courageous  cnniing  of  him 
in  the  midil  of  his  difgrace  and  fufFering,  when  even  his  own  difci- 
ples  had  denied  and  forfa'cen  him  ;  but  v/e  do  not  find  in  him  any 
fign  of  extraorlinary  coir.foit,  much  lefs  of  confidence;  but  he  hum- 
bly commended  himfclf  to  the  mercy  and  gooJnefs  of  iiis  SaviopT; 
fayinj,  Lord,  remcnihet   vtCf  ii'l-.r?  t/Ku  corf-.ejf  into  tkjn  lingJom,'* 


Let.  2  6.     Letters  to  a  Yowr^  Clergyman.       in 

ago,  by  a  gentleman  of  Glafpzv,  to  whom  I  was 
a  ftranger.  I  think  it  an  admirable  book  :  and, 
though  I  do  not  altogether  approve  of  its  title, 
jet  I  am  much  pleated  with  his  reafoning,  as 
equally  ftrong  and  conclufive  upon  our  ideas  of 
redemption.  It  is  a  twelve-penny  pamphlet,  and 
I  imagine  you  will  be  much  pleafed  with  it. 

Had  you  looked  into  the  Map  of  Oxford/Jure, 
you  would  have  found  Tackley^  the  feat  of  the 
Lady  Dowager  Lichfield,  where  our  friend 
is  lately  gone.  Let  me  advife  you  never  to  hear 
or  read  of  a  village,  efpecially  a  m.arket  town, 
without  examining  where  it  is.  Thus,  much 
ufeful  knowledge  may  be  gained  by  degrees,  and 
with  little  or  no  trouble.  By  taking  this  method, 
I  have  been  of  fervice  to  many  tradefmen  and 
others,  both  at  Shreivjbury  and  this  town.  I  wifh 
you  through  the  hurries  of  the  day  at  ****. 
Remember  the  fhory  I  told  you  of  an  old  Scotch 
Divine,  who  being  aikcd  why  he  wore  a  long 
beard,  anfwered,  '*  1  CiO  it  to  remind  me  never 
to  do  any  thing  inconiiftent  with  the  gravity  of 
my  appearance. '■* 

On  Thurfday  lall,  as  I  was  luting  at  dinner, 
I  felt  an  earthquaJze  ;  and  heard  a  rumbling  noife, 
like  a  wheel-barrow  going  over  fome  rough 
ground.  It  happened  at  one  o'clock,  and  lafted 
about  two  feconds.  Many  others  in  the  town 
felt  it,  and  fome  were  much  alarmed.  I  wiili 
fuch  alarms  may  do  good.  But  we  feem  to  be 
proof  againil  every  thing  that  is  ferious,  kind, 
and  awful. 

I  am  now  reading  an  excellent  old  book,  writ- 
ten by  Obadi AH  Sedgwick,  who  was  a  mem- 
ber 


iiz       Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.     Let.  27. 

ber  of  the  AiTembly  of  Divines,  entitled.  The 
Anatomy  of  fecret  and  presumptuous  Sins^&c,  which 
pleafed  me  much.  His  heads  and  enlargements 
are  fliort  and  comprehenlive,  and  free  from  the 
unprofitable  jargon  of  thofe  days  ;  and  his  lan- 
guage is  excellent  for  the  time  he  wrote  in.  If 
you  meet  with  any  of  his  works,  it  will  be  worth 
your  while  to  purchafe  them 5  as  they  may  be 
bought  for  a  trifle.  They  contain  excellent  mat- 
ter, and  come  home  more  to  men's  confciences 
and  bofoms,  than  the  writings  of  many  of  our 
modern  Divines. 

I  am  but  indifferent,  and  am  often  unfit  for 
bufinefs  or  company,  and  my  mental  powers  daily 
grow  weaker.  When  I  am  difpofed  to  be  im- 
patient, I  think  of  two  of  my  acquaintance,  who 
are  ground  down  with  the  ftone,  and  labour  af- 
ter greater  patience  and  thankfulnefs.  But  every 
difagreeable  obje-fl  appears  formidable  and  dread- 
ful to  me,  efpecially,  the  near  approach  of  death. 
I  much  need,  value,  and  defire  the  prayers  of 
my  friends.  Yours  fmcerely. 

Job  Orton. 


LETTER      XXVIL 

Jan,    1779. 
Dear  Sir, 

JdEING  confined  to-day  by  great 
rain,  I  know  not  how  to  employ  my  time  better 
than  in  writing  a  letter  to  you  ;  though  whether 
I  lliali  be  able  to  finifli  it  to-day  in  time  for  the 

poft 


Let.  27.     Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       113 

pod  I  know  not  :  however  I  will  do  fomethlng 
towards  it.     1  am  always  glad  to  receive  chit-chat 
letters,  as  they  ieem  to  come  from  the  heart.    Mr. 
Pope  is  I   think  right,  who  fomewhere  fays, 
"  The  letters  of  friends  are  not  worfe  for  being 
fit  for  none  elfe  to  read.     The  effufion  of  a  mo- 
ment ought  to  be  the  charaderiilic  of  all  familiar 
writing.     It  is  a  flrange  recommendation,  but 
a  true   one."     In  this  view,  I  had  rather  write 
twenty  letters  to  a  friend  with  whom  I  can  be 
free,  than  one  to  a  perfon  every  way  as  good  and 
valuable,  and  with  whom  I  can  be  equally  free, 
who  is  at  the  fame  time  formal  and  accurate  him- 
felf,  and  expeds  the  letters  of  his  correfpondents 
to  be  fo  too.    I  do  not  love  to  write  letters  v/here 
com^pliments  and  apolog^ies  are  neceffary.    Every 
thing  that  comes  directly  from  the  heart,  and 
feems  like  converfation,  is  mod  agreeable  to  me. 
And  indeed  what  is  writing  letters,  but  a  kind  of 
converfation,  and  therefore  ought  to  be  eaiy,  free, 
and  unreferved.      Perhaps  I  am  felfifh   in  this 
fentiment,  as  I  can  feldom   write  more  than  a 
few  lines  at  a  time  without  being  tired  and  in 
pain,  and  forced  to  lie  down  upon  my  couch  ; 
fo  that  method  and  order  muft  be  negleded  by 
me  ;  but  thele  I  think  (hould  be  eafily  excufed 
in  letters,  efpecialiy  where  the  writer's  heart  and 
his  efteem  for  his  correfpondent  appear  at  firft 
view,  without  any  labour  or  ftudy. 

I  h6pe    you  have  received   the  Bishop  of 

Chester's  Letter,^  which  I  returned  to  you 

ibme  time  ago  ^  which  is  an  exceeding  good  one, 

K  2  truly 

*  A  Letter  to  the  inhabitants  of  .UTT^cZ/^/e;-,  Macdnfield,  and  the 
jMljagent  parts,  on  occafwn  of  th$  late  earthtjuake  in  tbpfe_|>laces^ 


114      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.     Let.  27. 

truly  ferious,  full  to  the  purpofe,  and  adapted  to 
do  good.  His  Lordfliip's  two  fermons,  which 
were  preached  at  the  Chapel  Royal,  5/.  James's^ 
are  fuperexcellent.  They  were  printed,  as  I  have 
been  informed,  by  the  exprefs  command  of  the 
Queen,  in  order  to  be  given  away  among  the 
courtiers. 

I  am  glad  you  have  To  \,o\txdk)\t  a  flock  offer- 
mons.  But  you  will  go  on  compofmg  new  ones; 
as  thereby  you  will  increafe  your  theological 
knowledge  :  a  new  iubjedl  always  ftrikes,  and  the 
natural  love  cf  novelty  (hould  be  called  in  to  the 
aid  of  religion.  V/hat  hath  a  Clergyman  to  do 
but  to  give  himfelf  wholly  to  his  v/ork  ;  increafe 
his  own,  and  his  hearers'  acquaintance  with  the 
fcriptures ;  and  be  continually  drawing,  from 
that  inexhaufbible  fountain,  ftreams  of  living 
water,  for  their  entertainmient  and  nourilhment. 
How  few  are  there  among  us,  v/ho  like  D  a>7i  el 
Whiston,  the  profeilbr's  brother,  left  behind 
him  feveral  hundred  fermons,  which  he  had  never 
preached.  This  is  the  other  extreme.  I  will 
excufe  your  having  a  fermon  to  write  on  the  Sat- 
urday, becaufe  the  occafion  of  it  was  urgent  and 
necellary ;  elfe  I  (hould  blame  you,  if  ever  you 
have  a  fermon  to  make,  on  a  Saturday.  Dr. 
Donne  (as  it  is  faid  in  his  Life)  always  chofe  his 
text,  for  the  next  Lord's  day,  on  the  preceding 
Sunday  evening,  when  he  had  finilbed  the  duty 
of  that  day.  This  was  wjy  method.  I'always 
contrived  to  have  Saturday  as  a  kind  of  leifure 
day,  to  attend  at  the  Infirmary  at  Shrezvfbiiry^ov 
to  do  other  bufinefs  which  (being  market  day) 
it-QCcafioned  3  and  that  I  might,  by  exercife  and 

relaxatioiip 


Let.  27.     Letters  to  a  Youn^- Clergyman.      rij 

relaxation,  get  myfelf  into  better  fpirits  for  the 
labours  of  the  Sabbath.  Only  on  a  Saturday 
evening,  I  carefully  reviewed  my  fermon,  and 
committed  the  moft  ilriking  parts  of  it,  efpecial- 
ly  in  the  application,  to  memory.  And  I  always 
{pent  my  Saturday  evenings  at  home,  that  I 
might  prepare  myfelf  the  better  for  the  bufinefs 
of  the  following  day. 

I  heartily  wifh  you  the  return  of  many  happy 
birthdays  ;  and  that  each  of  them  may  afford  you 
increaling  pleafure  in  your  own  improvement, and 
the  advancement  of  religion  by  your  miniftry.  I 
have  no  doubt  but  you  fpent  the  day  religioujly  ; 
in  thankfully  acknowledging  the  goodnefs  and 
mercy  of  God  to  you  ;  in  acts  of  humiliation  for 
the  vanity  of  childhood  and  youth  ;  and  in  form- 
ing good  refolutions  for  greater  ferioufnefs,  dili- 
gence and  adivity,  as  a  Chriftian  and  a  Minifter. 
May  God  hear  your  prayers,  accept  your  praifesj 
and  multiply  his  bleflings  upon  you  ! 

I  am  now  reading  Michaelis's  IntroduBory 
Le£itires  to  the  Sacred  Books  of  the  New  TeJlamenU 
a  fmail  o6tavo  volume,  price  three  ihillings.  It  is 
a  good  concife  account  of  critics,  commentators, 
and  their  fentiments  on  the  genuinenefs,  author- 
ity, and  inipiration  of  the  books  of  the  New  Tef- 
tamcnt.  It  v/ill  refrefh  your  memory  with  many 
things  on  thofe  iubjeds  ;  but  he  doth  not  enter 
deeply  into  the  controverfies  of  them. 

I  have  lately  bought  a  Scotch  edition  of  Fl  av- 
: ell's  IVorks^  in  eight  volumes,  octavo.  The 
folio  edition  I  had  before;  but  this  I  can  read 
as  1  lie  on  my  couch,  or  as  I  fit  in  my  chair, 
fmoaking  my  evening's  pipe,     I  have  read  more 

of 


ii6      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,     Let.  27. 

of  Fl  AVELL,  fmce  I  was  able  to  read  at  all,  than 
any  other  writer  ;  and  I  am  alwa^^s  pleated  with 
his  plainnefs,  fimplicity,  ihort  ilyle,  great  feriouf- 
nefs,  and  entertaining  (lories. 

I  am  concerned  that  Mr.  **  doth  not  apply- 
more  dihigently  to  his  ftudies  :  and  it  really 
grieves  me  to  fee  young  Divines,  who  have  good 
natural  abilities,  and  have  enjoyed  confiderable 
advantages  tn  their  education,  contented  to  gUm- 
mer,  when,  with  more  application,  they  might 
be  burning  and  fhining  lights  in  the  church,  and 
the  diftinguifhed  ornaments  of  Chriflianity  and 
their  profeilion.  I  fometimes  talk  freely  to  my 
younger  brethren  on  fuch  topics ;.  but  in  this  age, 
young  men  do  not  in  general  ehoole  to  attend 
to  the  moll  friendly  advice  of  their  feniors  $ 
though  delivered,  not  only  tenderly,  but  refpecl- 
fully.  They  are  wifer,  and  have  better  ideas  of 
divinity,  efpecially,  than  thofe  who  have  growa 
grey  in  ftudy  and  in  the  miniilry. 

}  think  I  have  now  written  every  thing  I  had 
to  fay  to  you — which  has  been  done  at  many  fit- 
tings— and  1  have  conildered  myfelf  as  talking 
with  you.  But  this  wet  day  makes  me  uncom- 
fortable, and  m.y  letter  is  as  d^ull  as  the  dayi 
yet    fair   or   foul — bright   cr   dull,    I  am  your 

faithful  and  affectionate  t        ^ 

JOB  Orton. 

Some  time  ago,  I  recommended  to  the  con- 
sideration of  a  friend,  the  following  axiom,  or 
definition  of  the  ufe  of  a  Right  Line,  ReBum  efi 
Index  fui,  et  oblic^ui :  which  1  think  a  maxim  well 
worthy  the  attention  of  Divines.  Inform  your 
hearers  what  yo.u  think  to  be  right,  and  Ihew 

them 


Let.  28.     Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,       117^ 

them  why  it  is  fo.  By  this  method  they  will  be 
able  to  judge  for  themlelves  of  the  differences  of 
things,  and  perceive  what  is  right,  and  what  is 
erroneous.  See  Luke  xii.  57.  I  wilhed  to  find 
fome  authority  for  it,  and  lately  met  with  it 
quoted  in  the  moft  Learned  Dr.  Cudworth's 
Treatife  on  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  gave  mc 
fmgular  pleafure. 

LETTER      XXVIII. 

Mard,  1779* 
Dear  Sir, 

I  ACKNOWLEDGE  myfelf  in 
your  debt  for  two  letters  ;  which,  on  account  of 
the  indiilerenr  (rate  of  my  health,  I  am  obliged 
to  anfwer  as  I  can,  writing  a  few  hnes  at  a  time, 
as  I  find  myfelf  difpofed,  without  any  regard  ta 
order  or  method. 

I  am  forry  you  meet  with  diiUculties  and  dif- 
couragements  in  your  prefent  fituation  ;  but  I 
am  in  doubt  what  to  fay  concerning  a  removal 
toS***.  I  could  wiih  you  comfortably  fettled 
in  a  living  of  your  own,where  you  would  be  more 
•extenfively  ufeful  ;  but  am  fearful  you  will  find 
inconveniences  in  the  place  you  think  of;  except 
you  can  fully  refolve,  and  keep  your  cefolution, 
to  mind  your  proper  bufmefs,  and  to  guard 
againil  the  avocations  of  S  *  *  *.  I  think  a  Cler- 
gyman is  moft  refpedable,  who  keeps  to  his  ftudy 
and  parilh,  and  engages  as  little  as  may  be  in 
.mixed  company.     He  fhould  be  careful  not  to 

J&fecrate 


ii8      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.     Let.  2-S\ 

defecrate  hlmfelf  by  letting  h i mfelf  down .  Have 
you  ever  read  Scou gal's  Works ^  author  of  that 
trad  which  Biiliop  Burnet  publiflied,  called 
The  Life  of  God  in  the  Soul  of  Man  F-  If  you  have 
not,  pray  inquire  after  it,  and  read  it  diligently 
and  repeatedly.  Give  me  leave  to  fend  you  the 
following  paliage  from  his  Concio  ad  Clerum. — 
Quotidiana  clericorum  cum  laicis  converjatio^  can- 
temptihiles  eos  reddlt.  Facile  contemnitur  clerictis^fi 
p'andium  invitatus  fapius  veniat.  You  will  think 
of  thefe  maxims,  and  let  them  have  their  proper 
influence  with  you.  Sc o u g  a l  was  an  Epifcopal 
Divine,  and  fon  of  a  Scotch  Biiliop ;  a  man  of 
eminent  learning  ^Jid  piety,  and  a  good  model 
for  ufeful  presxhing;  but  died  very  young.  May 
God  diredl  you  in  all  your  motions,  and  fix  you 
there,  where  you  may  do  Him  and  his  caufe  the 
moil  fignal  lervice  !  I  know  you  will  follow  prov- 
idence, and  not  out-run  it ;  and  I  hope  look 
to  probable,  though  remote,  confequences,  before 
you  determine  upon  fo  important  a  change  in- 
your  fituation. 

I  am  glad  to  hear  from  you  fo  good  an  account 
of  Dr,  Adams,  whom  you  have  lately  feen. 
There  are  fev/  men  1  honour  more  for  every  ami- 
able quality.  If  you  return  to  college  foon,  I 
defire  you  to  prefent  my  refpedful  and  affec- 
tionate compliments  to  him  ;  and  be  fure  to  do 
all  you  can  to  learn  of  the  Do6lor  fteadinefs, 
prudence,  firmnefs,  mingled  with  the  utmofl 
good-nature,  and  readineis  to  ferve  others.*     I 

have 

*  In  1770,  Mr.  Orton  wrote  two  pamphlets,  in  defence  of  Dr. 
Adams,  in  anfwer  to  a  Letter  to  the  Do6lor  by  the  author  of  Fktai 
C>^ciwV/^/<, entUleU  Dittiej>hei  admon'Jlud^  2^\\<X  Diotre^hei^c-admov'tfliid: 


I.ET.  28.     Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman.       ii^ 

:have  nothing  to  fay  about  your  academical  ftud- 
-ies  and  degree,  but  that  I  hope  you  will  pur- 
chafe  to  yourfelf  a  good  degree,  and  great  boldnefs 
in  the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  ( i  Tim, 
iii.  13)  and  be  MafLer  of  the  bed  Arts,  that  of 
faving  fouls. 

I  am  going  over  Jor tin's  Sermons  again — of 
which  I  am  never  weary  ;  fo  plain,  fenfible,  and 
judicious  are  they  :  though  I  fometimes  fufpe^l, 
that  foDie  of  the  fermons  were  not  his  own,  as 
they  are  fo  different  from  others  of  them,  which 
correfpond  more  exactly  to  his  way  of  writing  in 
his  trads  and  other  publications.*  But  they  are 
all  worth  reading  again  and  again  ;  and  I  am 
.perfuaded  thofe,  which  are  moft  eafy  and  famil^ 
iar,  were  his  own,  for  that  is  an  excellency  in  his 
ftyle,  and  almofl  peculiar  to  himfelf.  Such  fer- 
mons want  nothing  but  a  little  more  practical 
and  lively  application  to  make  them  complete 
models  for  young  Divines.  There  is  ftrong  good 
fenfe  and  juft  reafoning  in  his  difcourfes,  generally 
couched  under   the  plained  language.     But  he 

had, 

in  which  the  writer  appears  to  have  (leered  in  a  middle  way  betv/eeu 
the  Doilor  and  his  aatagoiiiils,  refpe<5ling  fome  theological  niceties 
and  diftin6lions.  The  author  of  them  hoped  the  controverfy  Iiad 
dojie  good,  by  exciting  a  fpirit  of  inquiry  into  the  coutents  of  the 
■Gofpei,  and  leading  many  to  read  and  think,  on  religious  fubje»5>s, 
who  othervvife  would  not  probably  have  done  it.  And  he  had  the 
pleafure  of  hearing,  that  his  tra(5i6  had  been  fer'v-iceabls  in  this  re- 
fpedt,  efpecially  in  Sh>opj?iire  ;  and  that  they  Avere  much  valued  by 
many  refpedlabie  Clergymen,  particularly  tbofe  of  evangehcal  prin- 
ciples. 

Another  maflerly  pamphlet  appeared  In  the  fame  controverfy,  en- 
titled, The  Chi-^ch  f'f  England  'vindicated  from  the  ^i^id  Notions  of  Calvin- 
ifm  ;  written  by  one  of  Dr.  Adams's  intimate  friends ;  whf)fe  name, 
were  it  to  be  made  public,  would  do  honour  to  the  caiife  of  leara- 
iag  and  rational  piety. 

*  See  the  Gentleman's  Magazine  for  Nov.  1784. 


120      Letters  to  a  Young  Clergyman,     Let.  2 5. 

had,  as  I  have  been  told,  a  very  heavy  deHvcry.* 
1  fhall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you,  and  hope  for 
a  continuance  of  your  prayers,  that  as  my  day  is, 
my  ftrength  may  be.  My  head  begins  to  fail, 
my  tongue  fliammers,  m.y  hands  tremble,  and  I 
am  fmking  apace  to  the  dufh ;  but  my  concern 
for  my  friends,  and  the  interefl  of  religion,  holds 
out  ftill.  May  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jefus 
Chrift  be  always  with  you  !  To  that  I  heartily 
commend  you  in  all  your  interefts  \  and  am, 
dear  Sir, 

Your  faithful  and  affedionate 

Job  Orton. 

*  "  JoRTiN,  as  a  writer,  (fays  Mr.  Orton)  is  laconic,  compre- 
henfive,  yet  quite  plain  and  eafy,  familiar  and  lively.  I  fhould  like 
him  better  if  he  were  more  evangelical.  But  I  can  tafte  what  I  think 
an  excellency  in  a  writer,  though  I  Ihould  on  no  account  preach  in 
his  unevangelical  mannei*.  There  are  fo  few  evangelical  writers 
among  the  moderns,  who  are  candid  and  catholic,  that  a  man,  who 
reads  none  but  them,  will  be  likely,  though  he  may  be  confirmed  in 
his  orthodoxy,  to  lofe  his  charity,  and  lelfen  his  uietulnefs," 


Here  the  Editor  finds  it  neceflary  to  difcontinue  thefe  Letters  f  as 
foon  after  the  date  of  the  lafl,  he  came  to  live  at  Shezvjbwy  ;  and 
there  are  many  things  in  Mr.  Orton's  future  correfpondence  with 
him,  of  a  local  and  too  ddlcate  a  nature  to  be  laid  before  the  public  eye. 
Tiiis  valuable  man  died  July  19,  1783,  in  the  fixty-fixth  year  of  his 
age  ;  and  was  buried,  agreeably  to  liis  own  requeil,  in  St.  Chad's 
Church;  Shreuujbury.      Sic  mihi  contingat  viverc,  fcjue  mori. 


/ 


THE    MEMORY    OF    THE    JUST    IS    BLESSED: 

AND    THE    RIGHTEOUS     SHALL    BE     HAD 

IN    EVERLASTING    REMEMBRANCE. 


THE     E  N  I>. 


